The DA is Gauteng is calling on the Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi to open Grade 1 and Grade 8 online admissions for 2023.
Spokesperson for Education in the province, Khume Ramulifho, said this will ensure that no learner misses a day of schooling next year.
He said they are proposing school placements must be concluded before September this year.
“Moving the online admission earlier will ensure that school placements will be done timeously before the new academic year begins. This will also ensure that schools with high enrolment demand are identified and are allocated more resources such as classrooms, teachers, and furniture before the new 2023 academic year begins,” he said.
Ramulifho added that based on previous experience, delays in opening the online admission process have had a huge impact on the future of children, where thousands of learners across the province have missed months of schooling due to late placements.
“Furthermore, this will also avoid last minute interventions where resources are allocated at the beginning of the new academic year when schooling has resumed, and learners miss out on valuable teaching and learning time,” he said.
Ramulifho said this will also quell the uncertainty and anxiety among the parents and guardians as they will be made aware before the end of the year where their children will be placed, so they are able to plan and budget to buy uniforms, arrange transport where needed and buy stationery.
“We will continue to exert pressure on MEC Lesufi to consider our proposal in the interest of our children as the department has failed in the past to use the online admission system to plan for the new academic year placement because the process begins too late,” he said.
IOL