By Levy Masiteng
Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane has dismissed what he said were misleading and unfounded claims that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) prioritises foreign nationals over South African learners when placing children in public schools.
“We wish to reiterate that the department does not have a directive that instructs schools or officials to prioritise foreign nationals during learner placements,” Chiloane said.
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He added that no school is permitted to place foreign national learners ahead of South African learners, warning that any school or official found contravening admissions policies would face consequences.
The department said applications for Grades 2 to 7 and Grades 9 to 11 are handled directly by schools, unlike the online admissions system used for Grade 1 and Grade 8 placements, which limits the department’s ability to influence placements.
Schools have been opened since Wednesday, and the department said only 2,763 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners remained unplaced across the province, including 735 Grade 1 learners and 2,028 Grade 8 learners.
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“The only limitation that currently poses a challenge is the lack of capacity in schools, particularly in high-pressure areas. Despite this, the department is working diligently to identify available spaces and ensure that every learner is placed as fairly and efficiently as possible,” the department said.
The GDE Online Admissions system has already placed 27,140 late applicants for Grade 1 and Grade 8, including 14,273 Grade 1 learners and 12,867 Grade 8 learners.
“We remain committed to ensuring that every child who qualifies for placement is accommodated at a public school in Gauteng,” Chiloane said.
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