By Levy Masiteng
The Gauteng education department has officially opened online admissions for Grade 1 and Grade 8 placements for the 2026 academic year, and many parents are feeling anxious about securing a spot for their child.
However, Tieho Mokoena, who is the principal at SPARK Turffontein in the south of Johannesburg, said that with some planning and preparation, the online application process could be manageable.
She advised parents to start by visiting a school’s website to understand the application process and required documents.
“You cannot delay your application until the end of the year to secure a spot for your child in the school of your choice,” Mokoena said.
She shared five tips to help parents navigate the school application process.
They included visiting the school website to understand the application process and required documents, double checking your application for accuracy and submitting required documents and making payments to secure a spot.
Parents and guardians must check on the progress of the application and visit the school to learn about its values and environment to see if the child will fit in.
“The application process might feel daunting, but if parents and guardians do a little homework and preparation, the process should go much smoother,” Mokoena said.
The online application for Gauteng opened on 24 July and closes at midnight on 29 August.
The department said that on the first day it had already processed 213,000 Grade 1 and Grade 8 online applications.
Education MEC Matome Chiloane advised parents to take advantage of the system as it allowed them to identify schools within the feeder zones covering their home address.
“Selecting schools within the correct feeder zones improves the chances of securing placement closer to home and helps reduce daily travel distances for learners,” he reiterated.
To improve the likelihood of placement, parents are required to apply to at least three schools and may apply to a maximum of five.
All necessary documents must be submitted or uploaded within seven days of the application.
The department said parents requiring help could visit their nearest district office or one of the 81 decentralised walk-in centres across Gauteng.
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