Uncategorized
Rafieka Williams
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has called on parents to finalise their online applications by 12pm on 9 September 2025 or risk their children not being placed.
Parents and guardians must upload or submit certified copies of all required documents by the deadline.
The department warned that incomplete applications will not be considered, while fraudulent or invalid documents will result in forfeiture.
“We urge all parents who have not yet completed the full five-step process to do so immediately. Failure to act before the deadline will result in disappointment and loss of placement priority,” said Education MEC Matome Chiloane.
Online applications for Grades 1 and 8 closed on 29 August 2025, with over 800,000 applications recorded.
However, the GDE flagged 52,929 incomplete applications, noting that many parents have yet to select schools or submit the necessary documents.
Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona said that only learners with complete and verified applications will receive placement offers.
The placement period begins on 16 October and will continue until all learners are placed.
To support families without internet access, the department made schools and walk-in centres available for assistance.
While no new applications are being accepted, parents can still use these facilities to submit outstanding documents.
Mabona added that placements will be determined by several criteria, including whether the learner lives within the school’s feeder zone, has siblings already enrolled, the proximity of a parent’s workplace, and whether the home is within a 30km radius of the school.
INSIDE EDUCATION