This follows a response from the MEC of Education, Zolile Monakali, who was responding to a departmental report that showed a low number of placement of learners. Head of communications at the Northern Cape Department of Education, Lehuma Ntuane, says this is largely due to a large number of parents not accepting the placement offers issued by the department. From 18 000 offers of placement issued to parents, only 6 449 have successfully accepted the offers of placement.

"We are concerned that we have a large number of parents who have not accepted the offers of placement. This will further delay us in completing the placement of learners for the 2021 academic year. We are appealing to parents to log in on our Online Admission system to accept the offer of placement. This is the only way to help us process and finalise the admission of their children," says Ntuane.

Monakali adds that the highest number of successful placement of learners is found in the Afrikaans medium schools while a high number of English medium schools are still behind. "We are seeing a high number of successful placement of learners in Afrikaans medium schools across all districts. This is because there is less demand for Afrikaans medium schools in terms of admission application. However there is a still a lot of work to be done in English medium schools. There are districts that are doing well in fast tracking placement," says Monakali.

Although the system-generated SMS has not yet been sent to all parents due to some schools not having completed the verification of all applications, Monakali says the admissions of all learners will be prioritised early in the new year before schools reopen. "The Provincial Office is exploring all avenues to assist schools to finalise this matter. The Department encourages all parents who have lost or misplaced log in details of their profiles on the online system to contact the district offices as soon as possible.

OFM News/Blaine Jones