While the 2023 school year began one month ago, thousands of learners are still not placed in schools in South Africa. Several factors are hindering the placement of learners in the Western Cape.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is still in the process of placing more than one thousand learners at schools in the province.
As of 6 February 2023, 1,476 learners were still unplaced. This is concerning for parents of unplaced learners. The academic year in the province commenced more than one month ago.
School applications received by the WCED are classified into three categories. These categories are also the order in which the application is considered.
These categories are applications received on time during the official application period; Late applications received after the deadline but before the end of 2022; and Extremely late applications received since the start of 2023.
Currently, 22 learners whose applications were submitted during the application period are unplaced. The WCED explained that it is critical for parents to provide accurate information and documentation when submitting applications.
The WCED said, “The parents of these learners are either uncontactable or have rejected the offer of placement. It is absolutely critical that parents supply us with accurate, current contact details. We are now facing a situation where we have places to offer to parents, but cannot reach them.”
The provincial education department revealed that place is in progress for 129 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners in the Western Cape. These applications were received after the official application deadline but before the end of 2022.
“The majority of these were received in November and December 2022. These learners are being prioritized at present. Unfortunately, some of the parents of these learners are also unreachable, even when we have places to offer for their children,” explained the department.
Extremely late applications are classified as applications received in 2023. The WCED explained that new applications are being received daily, meaning their placement target is constantly changing.
The WCED received 3,391 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners from 1 January 2023 for the 2023 school year. At least 2,066 of these applicants have been placed and placement for the 1,325 is currently being facilitated.
We understand that the placement process can cause frustration for parents, and we ask for their patience and assure them that we are doing everything we can to find places for learners as quickly as possible. The department cautioned that it will take time to redirect resources for learners. Resource packs and Online support links have been sent to the parents of learners for additional reading and home learning while the department works to finalise the placement of the learners.
The WCED will deliver 842 classrooms to assist in placing learners in the province by the end of March 2023.
An additional 70 mobile classrooms will be deployed to areas where the need for placement is greatest and to cope with the challenge that extremely late applications pose.
