Book Their Place!

Trying to get your child into a school can be stressful. Here’s what you need to know about the enrolment process

- Marelize Potgieter

IT’S the same thing every year – desperate parents queuing for hours, many of them camping overnight just to ensure they’re first in line to get their kids into a school of their choice.

There are plenty of frustrations, often tears and a great deal of anger at a system that makes it difficult for parents to enrol their children.

For years this was the case, but the online system being used in Gauteng has largely made this problem a thing of the past.

Although it’s been operation for the past three years, most of the kinks have now been ironed out and authorities recently showed off the positive results proudly.

Not only has it eliminated queues, in 2017 the department was able to place 90% of all learners who’d applied on time by the end of October last year to start school this year, authorities announced.

Registration for next year is now in full swing, especially for those with kids going to Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 8 where the demand for places often far exceeds what’s available.

We unpack the process a bit.

ONLINE REGISTRATION IN GAUTENG If you have a child going to Grade 1 or Grade 8 next year go to the website www. gdeadmissions.gov.za.

STEP 1: Complete parents’ details.

STEP 2: Complete learner’s details.

STEP 3: Choose a school based on any of the options listed.

For Grade 1, parents are allowed to apply to five schools per learner based on their home address, work address, if there are siblings at the school and their school of choice.

For Grade 8 they can apply based on the same grounds, but also if they want to attend a special school of focus. They can also indicate the school the child is attending. This will identify high schools closest to the primary school the learner is attending.