Gauteng Parents Demand Solutions for School Admission Woes and Overcrowding

A pressing concern has surfaced in Gauteng as parents are urgently calling on the education department to tackle the persistent issues of admission pressures and overcrowding in schools. This demand for action, as highlighted by EWN, underscores the difficulties that many families face at the beginning of each academic year in placing their children in preferred schools.

The onset of the new school term has not brought relief, as parents continue to grapple with the challenges of the admissions process. The department’s online system, initially introduced to streamline school placements, has been a point of contention for many. Parents argue that it fails to address the core issue – a stark disparity between the number of students seeking admission and the limited classroom spaces available.

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In a telling scene of the crisis, over 200 parents were left without assistance after queuing for hours in Soweto, as district offices closed for the day. Their frustrations echo a common sentiment, with one parent articulating the dilemma of meeting the required radius for school placement yet still being unable to secure a spot due to the overwhelming demand.

The struggle extends to the Roodepoort district offices, where a group of parents, despite following the necessary procedures of submitting documents and visiting schools, found their children still unplaced in the system. This issue isn’t isolated but a recurring problem that has plagued the admission process year after year.

With classes set to resume shortly, the situation grows more dire for some pupils who remain unplaced, highlighting a significant gap in the education system’s capacity to accommodate all students. The call from Gauteng parents for the education department to address these challenges is not just a plea for a smoother admissions process, but a demand for a more equitable and accessible education system for all students in the region.

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