The Gauteng Department of Education has claimed that Grade R learners will have to re-register for Grade 1 in their respective schools, as they are not guaranteed automatic placement.
This comes as the province is set to launch the process of online admissions for the 2026 school year.
GRADE R LEARNERS NOT GUARANTEED AUTOMATIC PLACEMENT
Speaking at a media briefing on the launch of the 2026 online admissions applications, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane urged parents to be aware of the process of placements at public schools for grades 1 and 8.
For current Grade R learners, Chiloane warned that automatic placement at the same school was not guaranteed.
He said: “Learners who are currently in R at schools have to apply at the same school or any other school of your choice. It does not mean that if your child is in Grade R, they will be automatically placed. There are no automatic placements. You have to apply and comply with everything parents must do to get their child admitted in our pubic schools for grade 1”.
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ONLINE ADMISSION APPLICATIONS OFFICIALLY OPEN
On Thursday, 24 July, online admission applications for the 2026 school year in Gauteng officially opened.
The online system is specifically for grades 1 and 8.
The department has notified parents that placement in schools will not be on a first-come, first-serve basis, but on the following criteria
- A home address within the school feeder zone,
- A sibling at the school or a previous school,
- Parents’ work address within the school feeder zone,
- A home address within 30km.
Applications will close at midnight on 29 August.
DO YOU BELIEVE GRADE R LEARNERS SHOULD HAVE AUTOMATIC PLACEMENT AT A SCHOOL?
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