The Gauteng Department of Education says 51‚200 parents still have to confirm their offers of placement to enroll their children at government schools for 2017 academic year.
The department issued a call to parents to confirm offers of placement by Friday‚ 4 November 2016‚ "or risk losing the offers to other parents who are on the waiting list". It said the delay on the part of the parents "is clogging up the system‚ making it difficult for the department to place all learners that have applied".
At the beginning of 2016‚ over 7‚000 children had not found schools and the last child was only placed in April. Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi yesterday told parents not to panic over the problems with the online school application process for 2017‚ saying the new system is a big improvement on the old one where parents queued at the schools in an attempt to find a place for their children.
Lesufi launched the process earlier this year‚ allowing parents to apply online to the schools they want their children to attend.
"Parents must not worry. Every child will be placed [at a school]‚" he said.
"Unfortunately‚ they may not be placed at the school of their choice. The majority of the high-end schools are full. Parents that applied on time must not panic. Only those who applied late will‚ unfortunately‚ be placed where there is space."
On Wednesday‚ the department said: "The placement of learners is on track. Districts are currently facilitating the placement of applicants that have applied between 19 April and 1 June 2016. All the applicants will be placed."
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
