• The Gauteng Department of Education has announced when registrations will begin for learners grade 1 to 8 for the 2024 academic year.
• MEC Matome Chiloane has detailed the process for online registrations, which has been further streamlined to ensure all learners are placed before classes begin.
• This year there will be more locations open for parents or guardians without internet access to begin the registration process.

Provinces across South Africa are announcing registration procedures for learners from grade 1 to grade 8 for the 2024 academic year in a phased manner. So far, only three of the nine are yet to announce commencement dates.

The latest province to reveal information for school registrations is South Africa’s most populous, Gauteng, and the local education MEC has detailed the process, especially as there are some changes coming in 2024.

According to MEC Matome Chiloane, online admissions are set to begin on 15th June at 08:00, and will close on 14th July at midnight. These admissions will be only for learners in grade 1 to grade 8.

Gauteng admissions will now follow a single application process, according to Chiloane. This means that parents and guardians will be able to apply for all grades (1 to 8) at the same time.

All offers will also be issued simultaneously during the placement process.

“During the application period, applicants will be required to create login credentials (username and password) which they will use to access the online admissions system,” Chiloane explained, quoted by TimesLive.

“Once applicants have gained access to the system, they must begin with the registration process and ensure they follow each application step correctly,” he continued.

Chiloane claims the system has been improved from previous years, and this year is expected to run more smoothly than years past. The 2023 academic year registrations saw a few hiccups with the province’s system, and more than 1 000 pupils across Gauteng were not placed by the time classes began.

Many other learners were placed, but in schools far from where they live.

Now for the 2024 academic year, Chiloane says that registering parents and guardians will receive “constant communication” from the department at every step via SMS.

There will also be more locations opened for parents to access the internet and begin registration procedures.

“We have set up walking centres at our district offices and schools for parents to be able to walk in and do these applications,” Chiloane said, adding that the department urges parents and guardians not to use internet cafes (the very few that are left) or similar to register their children.

There will be 80 new walk-in centres located across the 15 education district offices in the province.

The MEC also explained how parents can increase the chances of their children being placed at schools closer to home.

“Parents should select schools with feeder zones that cover the parent’s home address. Parents are encouraged to apply to a minimum of three schools and a maximum of five schools for each learner. Parents must remember to read and accept the terms and conditions,” he said.

However, placements will be based on certain criteria and availability of spaces depending on school capacity.

He added that all schools will remain open and accessible on the Gauteng system during school registrations for 2024.

It is also important to have the right documents on hand when they are applying to ensure a smooth process. Like other provinces, registration requires parent and child IDs, or passports, and proof of residence. The department makes it clear that applications sent without a valid proof of residence and home address will be marked “incomplete.”

These documents can be either uploaded online or submitted physically to schools of choice during the application process.

“Parents and guardians must ensure the information on the documents they provide matches the information they enter into the system when applying. All documents must be submitted within seven days of applying,” Chiloane adds.

He said that the first placements will begin on 4th September, and encourages parents to apply sooner rather than later to book their spaces in close-by schools.

[Image – Photo by Elisa Ventur on Unsplash]