Spokesperson, Geoffrey van der Merwe, tells OFM News they are in the final stages of placing learners and this will be done before schools reopen. OFM News on Monday reported that the department had issued 34 020 placement offers to parents with a total of 30 333 parents who accepted the offers, whilst 3 687 offers are still pending. Schools in the Frances Baard and John Taolo Gaetsewe Districts have for years been in the news for experiencing an influx of learners at the beginning of the academic year, with the majority of them struggling to find a placement.

All public schools learners are expected at schools on February 15 as per the announcement made by the national department.  

A number of parents in January criticised the provincial department for what they view as a lack of communication following their online school applications. The majority said they had not received an SMS confirming their children’s placement post the deadline set by the department.

Van der Merwe, however, says they indicated that if a parent or a legal guardian fails to either accept or decline the placement offer within seven days, the department will take the responsibility of placing the child.

He says the Online Admission System was open for late admissions from 11-18 January 2021. “During this period, the Department received 11 155 late admission applications for this academic year. These applications will be finalised in due course and will be treated on a first come first served basis”.

OFM News