The GDE urges parents to remain patient while it ensures that every grade one and grade eight learner is placed for the 2026 academic year.
Just under 5 000 grade one and eight learners remain without school placement for the upcoming academic year, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has announced.
These unique applicants refer to individual grade one and grade eight learners whose school applications were done via the 2026 online admissions process facilitated by the provincial education department.
The 2026 academic year for public schools across the country will kick-off on 14 January, with parents and guardians preparing for the start of their children’s school careers.
According to GDE, the total is made up of 1 381 grade one learners and 3 477 learners going to grade eight.
“This represents approximately 1.5% of the total 358 574 complete applications received for the 2026 academic year, comprising 175 792 grade one and 182 782 grade eight applicants.
“The department continues to release placement and transfer offers daily, supported by targeted interventions in high-pressure districts, to ensure that all remaining learners are placed as efficiently and fairly as possible, in line with regulated admissions criteria and available school capacity.”
“We are encouraged by the steady progress made in placing learners across Gauteng. We once again urge parents and guardians to remain patient and cooperative as the department continues to work tirelessly to ensure that every grade one and grade eight learner is placed for the 2026 academic year,” says GDE MEC Chiloane.
The GDE introduced the schools online registration system for grade one and eight learners in 2016, under leadership of premier Panyaza Lesufi. This was part of the department’s effort to prevent long queues and encourage a tech-savvy school registration process.
The process, however, has often been criticised for hiccups, such as the system’s inability to handle multiple users at a time and the lack of timeous communication by the department on the status of learners’ applications.
Last July, the GDE opened the online application system for registration of learners starting grades one and eight in the 2026 academic year. It began sending out placement offers to parents and guardians via SMS and through the online admissions system in October 2025.
According to department, the late applications period, which commenced on 17 December, remains open and will close on 30 January.
To date, the GDE has recorded a total of 11 183 late applications, comprising of 5 701 grade one learners and 5 482 grade eight learners.
During the late application period, says the department, only schools with available space will appear on the system.
“Applicants may select one school only, and once selected, the learner will be finally placed for the 2026 academic year. Placements made during this period cannot be declined, and no objections or appeals will be permitted thereafter.”
The GDE’s spokesperson Steve Mabona adds: “There is no waiting period for late applicants. During the late application period, only schools with available space appear on the system. Once a late applicant selects a school, the learner is placed immediately and automatically. As a result, all 11 183 late applicants have been successfully placed.”
The GDE adds that a total of 6 736 placement appeals have been lodged as part of the 2026 online admissions process, and only 637 objections await adjudication. It notes that the appeals adjudication process is at an advanced stage, with outcomes communicated directly to parents and guardians as finalisation progresses.
It also reminds parents that appeal outcomes are final.
Parents and guardians can submit late application online by registering or logging onto the GDE’s portal for late submissions.
