Gauteng ready to begin school year: Lesufi

Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi says his department is ready for the schooling year to begin on Wednesday‚ except for 33‚000 learners that still need to be placed.

Addressing the media in Johannesburg‚ Lesufi said the majority of the province’s school population comprised learners from grades two to seven and grade nine to 12.

“This is about 90% of our schooling population and which we know is coming to school and have been provided with school books and furniture. We believe that all has been done to ensure a smooth start to the first day at school‚ that learning and teaching starts without any hindrance‚” Lesufi said.

Lesufi said the only major challenge was the 33‚000 learners who needed to be placed in school.

Of the 33‚000 learners who applied for school spaces last year‚ the department said it had managed to persuade parents of 2‚565 learners to accept alternative schools in place of their original preferred schools.

What compounded the problem was that the department had received 4‚500 new applications this year.

Lesufi said the parents refused to accept alternative schools provided by the department. He cited an example of Jeppe School for Boys‚ which could only take 180 new learners but had over 2‚000 applications.

“We will place every child who has applied but we will not place you at the school of your choice‚” Lesufi said.

Lesufi said at this time last year‚ there were a similar number of unplaced learners but the department had placed them in schools by the middle of February.

“There is no single parent who can claim they have applied and we have not given them an alternative school choice‚”

He urged parents not to disturb learning at schools on Wednesday to enquire about spaces at schools. He asked parents to instead visit district offices.

- TimesLIVE