The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has placed nearly 200,000 learners at schools in the province over the last four weeks. The 2025 Online Admissions Placement Period For Grade 1 and 8 Learners in Gauteng commenced on 16 September 2024.
We are pleased to announce that, to date, a total of 199 492 applicants have been placed four weeks after the commencement of the placement period on 16 September.
The placement period will continue throughout the remainder of the year until all learners are placed.
Grade 1 And 8 GDE Admissions Update
For Grade 1 admissions, there is a total capacity of 216,544 available spaces in Gauteng for Grade 1 admissions. Out of the 165,785 applicants, 8,379 applications were incomplete, while 157,406 were completed. Of the completed applications, 103,446 (65.72%) learners were placed, leaving 53,960 (34.28%) applicants still unplaced.
In Grade 8, the total capacity is 186,902, with 179,105 applicants. There were 10,653 incomplete applications, and 168,452 applications were completed. Among the completed applications, 96,046 (57.01%) were placed, while 72,406 (42.99%) still await placement. The available space for Grade 8 is 90,856.
For both Grade 1 and Grade 8 combined, the total capacity is 403,446. There were 344,890 applicants, with 19,032 incomplete and 325,858 complete applications. Of the completed applications, 199,492 (61.22%) have been placed, and 126,366 (38.78%) are still waiting. A total of 203,945 spaces remain available for students.
From December 2024, after all, an applicant with complete applications are place, the applicants with incomplete applications will be province an opportunity to select a school with available space for placement
46,386 applicants who received placement offers have not accepted these offers. 10,122 applicants have provisionally accepted their placement offers.
All parents/guardians must note that applicants who have not accepted placement offers after 7 days of receiving an offer will be auto-placed at the school that made the offer/or the school where the offer is provisionally accepted.
Applicants who provisionally accepted placement offers will also be auto-placed after 7 days of receiving an offer if no further offers are available.
Accepting Placement Offers
Parents are encouraged to accept placement offers. They may either accept a placement offer as final or provisionally accept placement offers who are awaiting additional offers within 7 school days.
Placement offers are reserved only until all the other schools apply to reach full capacity. Once other schools that the parent applied to reach full capacity, all applicants with placement offers are placed at the school that made the placement offer
100+ Schools Have Reached Capacity
The GDE confirmed that more than 100 schools in Gauteng are already at capacity and won’t be able to accommodate more learners. This conclusion was met following an audit by the department.
Prior to the commencement of the placement period, the Department conducted a capacity audit at all schools to ensure that available capacity at all schools are used to optimally accommodate applicants
There 72 Primary schools that are at capacity after the placement of 10,591 learners. A total of 31 Secondary schools are at capacity as they are set to accommodate 12,923 Grade 1 learners in 2025.
As at 11 October 2024, a total of 72 Primary schools have reached full capacity after placing a total of 10 591 Grade 1 learners; And 31 secondary schools reached full capacity after placing a total of 12 923 Grade 8 Learners This means 103 schools have no more space to accommodate any further applicants
Unplaced applicants that cannot be accommodated at these schools, will be transferred to the next closest school with available space.
Unplaced Learners
The GDE confirmed that work is underway to ensure all learners are placed.
Every effort is being made to ensure reasonable placement of all applicants before the end of the 2024 academic year.
They explained that in cases where learners cannot be accommodated at schools that they applied to due to the schools having reached capacity, they will receive transfer offers of placement at the next closest school with available space.
Objections And Appeals
Parents and guardians who are offered transfer placement at schools that they have not applied to can either accept or decline the placement offer within 7 days.
When the transfer offer is accepted, the learner is placed at the school. The placement is final.
If the transfer offer is declined, the parent may submit an Objection within 7 days of receiving the transfer placement offer.
All objections are investigated on merit and an outcome is provided to the parent within 14 days of receiving the objection.
Parents and guardians who decline the objection outcome may submit an appeal online within 7 days of receiving the objection outcome. +
Here's A Guide On How To Apply To Gauteng Public Schools
Appeals are processed and responded to within 14-21 days of receipt Parents/guardians need to note that the Appeal outcome is final and no alternative placement will be offered.
Incomplete Applications
The GDE confirmed that the Online Admissions system will open for incomplete and late applications on 11 December 2024. Incomplete applications and Late Applications will be processed after all on-time applications are finalised and learners are placed.
Parents will be able to select one school where the learner will be placed as final
Late applicants will receive placement only at schools with available space Parents who select schools during the Incomplete / Late Application window period cannot object or decline the placement.
