By Johnathan Paoli
Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane has urged parents and guardians to prepare early and apply on time for the province’s online admissions for Grades 1 and 8 for the 2026 academic year.
This would avoid disappointment and ensure their children’s placement in public schools, he told a media briefing at Greenside High School in Johannesburg to announce the date for online admissions.
“We are calling on all parents to start preparing now. Make sure your documents are in order and be ready to apply the moment the system opens,” said Chiloane.
The application period will run from 24 July to 29 August, and will apply strictly to first-time admissions into Grade 1 and Grade 8.
The department’s online admissions portal will be activated at 8am on 24 July and will automatically close at midnight on the final day.
Chiloane emphasised that late applications would not be entertained under the standard process, limiting placement options for those who missed the deadline.
While Grade R has recently been declared compulsory under new national policy, the MEC clarified that Grade R would not be included in the 2026 online admissions process.
“The reason is simple, we don’t yet have universal access to Grade R across all our public schools,” he explained.
Parents of children currently in Grade R must still apply for Grade 1 through the system, even if the child was already attending the same school.
All users will be required to register new profiles when the system opens, with previous login credentials no longer valid.
The application process involves five steps, namely registration of parent and learner details; entering applicant’s home address; selecting between three and five schools; uploading or delivering required documents; and receiving SMS confirmation of a completed application.
Parents are strongly advised to select multiple schools to increase the chances of placement.
The department confirmed that all selected schools were treated equally, regardless of the order in which they appeared.
Chiloane said the department used several factors to determine placement, including whether the applicant’s home address fell within the school’s feeder zone and if there were siblings currently attending the school.
It also looked at if the parent’s work address fell within the feeder zone and the distance from home (within 30 km or beyond).
The MEC acknowledged continued confusion among parents regarding feeder zones, especially where families lived close to a school but fell outside technical boundaries.
To address this, the department was considering moving from a direction-based model to a radius-based system.
The admissions system will display schools linked to a user’s home address, helping guide choices within the appropriate feeder zones.
Applicants must upload or submit certified copies of the following documents within seven days of applying: the parent or guardian’s ID or passport; the learner’s birth certificate or passport; proof of home address (e.g., municipal account, lease agreement); proof of work address (if applicable); the Grade 7 report card for Grade 8 applications; and immunisation cards for Grade 1 applications.
Incomplete applications, whether missing documents, contact information, or school selections, will not be processed.
“You will get an SMS confirmation for each step. If you don’t, go back and check. Don’t assume it’s complete,” Chiloane warned.
To safeguard the integrity of the process, schools are authorised to verify home addresses and confirm that documents are legitimate.
Chiloane reiterated that no part of the process required payment.
“This is a free public service. If anyone asks you for money to secure placement, report them. That is corruption,” he said.
To support families without digital access, the department will operate 18 decentralised admission centres and more than 2500 walk-in sites, including schools and community halls.
These sites will offer free help with online applications and document submissions.
A working cellphone number is mandatory, as all communication, including SMS confirmations and placement offers, will be sent to that number.
“Your phone number is your lifeline in this process,” Chiloane stressed.
Parents applying to schools of specialisation (arts, STEM, sports) must note that placements are based on talent assessments rather than feeder zones.
For Grade 1 applicants, parents will choose a preferred language of learning from the 11 official languages.
Placement offers will begin rolling out from 16 October 2025, and the process will continue until all learners are placed.
“This is about your child’s future. The earlier you apply and the more complete your application, the better your child’s chances,” the MEC said.
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