“This translates into a total of 324, 756 grade 1 applications and 432,219 grade 8 applications. This success can be attributed to system improvements over the years, which is necessitated by continuous stakeholder engagements and technological advancements,” said the department in a statement on Sunday.
The application period ran from 15 June to 21 July 2023.
“We wish to announce that the 2024 Online Admissions Placement Period for grade 1 and 8 will begin on 4 September 2023 and will continue throughout the remainder of the year until all learners are placed,” the GDE said.
From Monday, 4 September 2023, parents and guardians with complete applications will receive SMSes with placement offers to the contact numbers they used when applying.
Parents/guardians will then have to log on to www.gdeadmissions.gov.za using their credentials to accept an offer as final or accept while awaiting other offers within seven days.
Parents have been urged to avoid playing the waiting game.
“SMSes will be sent out on a continual basis from 4 September 2023 until all learners are placed. This means that not all applicants will receive an SMS on the first day of the placement period, but must expect an SMS anytime from 4 September 2023 and throughout the course of the year,” the GDE said.
The department advised that if parents and guardians have not received an SMS, there is no need to panic as applicants are welcome to use their credentials to log on to www.gdeadmissions.gov.za to check whether a placement offer was issued or not.
In the event an SMS states that a child has been placed in grade 1 or grade 8 at a certain school, this will be regarded as successful placement to the mentioned school.
The department added that there will be no need for a parent/guardian to access the system to accept an offer in that regard, because the child would be placed at the mentioned school.
Parents and guardians who may have forgotten or lost their credentials must click on “Forgot Password” on the admissions landing page and follow the prompts to regain access to the system.
Alternatively, parents and guardians are welcome to interact with the call centre agents on 0800 000 789 or WhatsApp on 060 891 0361.
“Normally, high volumes of calls are received during the placement period, and all our offices experience a high number of walk-ins from parents/guardians. We plead for patience and understanding as our officials work hard to assist everyone,” the GDE said.
Meanwhile, the department has identified schools that received an overwhelming number of applications which exceeds the capacity of learners that they can afford to accommodate.
About 292 primary schools were regarded as high-pressure schools and about 277 secondary schools were regarded as high-pressure schools.
The department has reminded parents/guardians that all placements are subject to the priority of placement criteria and availability of space (capacity) per school.
“Therefore, applicants that cannot be accommodated at schools they applied to due to the schools having reached capacity, will receive transfer offers of placement at the next closest school with available space.”
Transfer offers are made only after confirmation that none of the schools which a parent applied to has available space. Parents / guardians who are offered placement at schools that they have not applied to have the option to accept or decline the placement offer.
The department also announced that the 2024 Online Admissions Placement Period for grade 1 and 8 will begin on 4 September 2023 and will continue throughout the remainder of the year until all learners are placed.
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