Durban parents queue overnight for 2019 grade R registration

Armed with camping chairs‚ blankets and flasks of hot coffee‚ parents started queuing outside a Durban school two days before registration opened for Grade R next year.

Rodney Shereodev was the third parent to arrive at Hopeville Primary School in Phoenix‚ north of Durban‚ on Sunday.

He camped outside the school overnight until his wife took over his place in the queue on Monday morning.

"We decided to get ourselves organised‚ so we handed out tickets according to when we arrived. We also have a list to show how we are positioned in the queue‚" he told TimesLive.

The list and tickets were agreed upon by the 55 parents who were already in the queue by Monday morning.

"We trust that it is followed when registration opens on Tuesday‚" said Shereodev.

Two months ago‚ the school sent out a notice informing parents that admission of new pupils would take place on August 7. According to the notice‚ there are only 105 places available for Grade R and "limited spaces" for Grade 1 and 5.

Shereodev said while admission was on a “first come‚ first served" basis‚ children with siblings already at the school would be given preference.

"We hope our son gets in because it is a good school‚ perhaps the best in Phoenix‚" he said.

Long queues outside Hopeville Primary School has been a familiar annual sight ahead of new admissions.

Another parent‚ who didn’t want to be named‚ said it was "like a private school‚ only cheaper".

"My heavily pregnant friend stood overnight in the line three years ago just to put her daughter in Hopeville Primary‚” she said.

KwaZulu-Natal education department spokesman Kwazi Mthethwa said admission criteria were based on each school's policy. This policy is devised during the annual meeting and is agreed upon by the school governing body‚ parents and pupil representatives.

"Some schools may give preference to pupils who live nearby. Others may give preference to pupils who perform well. It is up to the school‚ but we step in when schools use their policies to isolate some children‚" he said.

Mthethwa said the province had 6‚000 schools and there was therefore enough space for all children. "But we find that parents want their children to go to what they believe are the best schools.

“We want parents to know that it is their duty as well to get involved so neighbouring schools can have the same status‚ so they don't have to queue to get into these ‘best’ schools‚" said Mthethwa.