Surge in online school applications

Gauteng’s department of education had received 233,035 applications for admission to grades 1 and 8 by noon on Monday.

The department opened its online application system last Thursday. It will close on July 25.

Parents of all pupils in grades R and 7 must apply for admission of their children to grades 1 and 8 for the 2021 academic year via the department’s online application platform.

Of the applications received by noon on Monday, 100,599 were for grade 1 and 132,436 for  grade 8.

In the first 2½ hours after opening on Thursday, the online platform recorded about 68,000 applications.

There were initially glitches in the confirmation of individual records by the department of home affairs, but these were resolved.

The department said parents should upload the required documents via the system, or submit hard copies at schools applied to, within seven days of making an application.

“We are indebted to parents who embraced our system and encourage those who have not applied to do so — at their leisure, because the principle of ‘first come, first served’ will not be applicable,”  education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said.    — TimesLIVE