The education departments of provinces across South Africa are slowly launching their public school registration programmes for the 2024 academic year.

While not every province has launched registrations, a few have and they each have their own timelines and dates to adhere to.

Below we have put together a short list of the provinces that have begun their registration programmes for the 2024 academic year, including the start and end dates, as well as what is required for registration.

Importantly, the below information only applies for public schools.

Here are the provinces that have opened online school registrations for 2024:

Northern Cape

The country’s largest province will be opening its registrations from 22nd May until 22nd June 2023.

Registrations will be for learners in Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 8 in public schools. Parents will have to fill on all their details in the online application, as well as details for the learner they are applying for, and will have to apply to a maximum of three schools.

Parents can apply either online here or at the nearest “walk-in centre”.

North West

The North West province was the most recent in launching its 2024 registration programme, doing so on 15th May. Registrations then will be open from that date, until 30th September 2023.

Parents will require a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate, immunisation card and most recent report card, and transfer letter or card from previous school. Non-South African parents must also provide the learner’s study visa or parent’s work permit, asylum-seeker certificate or similar.

It looks like the North West is not offering online registration for parents.

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) launched public school registrations for the 2024 academic year on 12th April, with a closing date set for 30th September 2023.

Provincial education MEC Mbali Frazer said that parents should apply sooner rather than later to avoid delays.

“Parents and guardians are encouraged to apply long before the closing date, as this will allow the department to deal with all the appeals and place learners who would have applied but failed to secure places,” they explained.

“We urge parents and guardians to cooperate with the department and heed this call so that on the first day of the 2024 academic year, schools can focus on teaching and learning, and not on unnecessary administrative duties pertaining to learner admission.”

While the KZN department has not indicated what will be needed for registrations in terms of documentation, it is a safe bet to follow the example of the North West. The province is also not offering online registration.

Limpopo

South Africa’s northernmost province launched registrations for the 2024 academic year on 15th May, and will close these on 30th September 2023, alongside KZN and the North West.

Limpopo requires a heft number of documents before your child can be admitted, depending on if they are a first-time learner or not. However, most of these are similar to what the North West is asking for.

Namely:

• “Birth certificate or acceptable proof of birth date,
• Immunization card,
• Transfer card,
• Last report card.”

If you are not a South African citizen you will require:

• “Study/work permit,
• Temporary or permanent residence permit from the South African Department of Home Affairs,
• Evidence to show that there is an application for permission to stay in RSA.”

First-time admissions, such as for Grade R or Grade 1 will additionally require information on:

• “Where other siblings are attending,
• Nearest to parent’s work address,
• School of choice.”

Limpopo is also not offering online registrations, so parents will have to go to a school to register.

Western Cape

The Western Cape launched its 2024 public school learner enrollments on 13th March but parents can still apply until 25th May 2023 even though your application will be considered “late.”

Western Cape applicants will require all the same pieces of information as the other provinces, but must also include a proof of residence. Western Cape residences must also apply to three different public schools, including the one closest to your place of residence.

You can register online here.

The education departments for Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Free State and Mpumalanga have yet to begin the registration process for the 2024 academic year, but we will keep you up to date on any new developments.

[Image – Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash]