WATCH: Eersterust parents go to schools demanding their children are taken in

Published Mar 15, 2021

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Pretoria - Eersterust parents fed up with the online registration system are demanding schools in the area take in their children or they will continue to camp at the schools.

The parents made their way to schools with their children, some in uniform, to demand that some of them be taken in.

The parents went to PS Fourie Primary school, Fred Magardie Primary, Nantes Primary and Norridge Park Primary all in Eersterust.

And while some of the schools tried to accommodate a few learners despite being full, others remained adamant that they could do nothing if parents did not process their applications through the online system.

Many of the parents said they battled to use the online platform or even get placement letters even though they had been trying for weeks on end to get their children placed.

The parents said that they were so desperate and had even tried visiting the department’s local offices to get any form of assistance but to no avail hence the decision to come to their nearby schools and camp-out until they were assisted.

Gauteng schools started the academic calendar on February 15, with Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga indicating that even though the schools were ready more than 16 000 Grade 1 and 8 learners had still not been placed.

Motshekga said the reason for this was due to the high demand for schools, which was plaguing all provinces and not only in Gauteng.

Virginia Keppler, Patriotic Alliance leader in Tshwane, who accompanied the parents said the department was playing with parents as they had up to 25 parents some with two children still sitting at home a month after schools started.

Keppler said they decided they would take the children to the schools as every child had a right to education as per the constitution yet parents were being given the runaround.

Pretoria News