The Gauteng Department of Education has announced an extension of the deadline for the online school admission application process. The original closing date of 14 July has now been pushed back to 21 July 2023, giving parents and guardians additional time to submit their applications.
The online application system, which was launched on 15 June, has seen a significant increase in the number of applicants. Recognizing the growing demand, the department took steps to improve the system's capacity to process multiple applications simultaneously.
In just one week, the system successfully processed over 400,000 applications, comprising 176,975 Grade 1 applications and 231,739 Grade 8 applications.
According to Steve Mabona, the spokesperson for the provincial department, the decision to extend the deadline was made in response to the preferences of some parents who prefer submitting their documents directly to the schools rather than using the online mechanism.
The extended deadline will accommodate these parents and allow them to submit their documents after the school recess, which is scheduled from 23 June to 17 July 2023. The deadline for document upload or submission has been set for 28 July 2023.
We have noticed that some parents prefer submitting their documents at schools. As such, this extension will give them an opportunity to submit documents after the school recess," said Mabona. "Parents now have until 21 July 2023, to apply and will be allowed to upload or submit documents until 28 July 2023.
While the deadline has been extended, the department emphasizes the importance of parents not wasting any time in submitting their applications online. Mabona urged parents to take advantage of the extended deadline but also reminded them to ensure timely submission to avoid any potential delays or complications.
MEC for Education in Gauteng, Matome Chiloane, expressed pride in the system's efficiency and the number of applications processed within a week.
"We are also proud of having processed over 400,000 applications within a week; this is a testament to our system's improvement and the demand for the quality education that Gauteng offers," Chiloane stated.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to visit the official Gauteng Department of Education website to access the online application portal and complete the admission process.
The new deadline provides a valuable opportunity for those who have yet to submit their applications to do so and secure a place for their children in Gauteng schools for the upcoming school year.
