Two weeks into the start of the 2017 academic year, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) is struggling to find school placement for 19 913 grade one and eight learners.
These grade one and grade eight pupils make up the group of learners whose parents were required to apply via the GDE's online registration system for their preferred school.
The department, however, admits some pupils going to those two grades are yet to be placed at schools for this academic year.
In a statement, the GDE says as at 17 January, the total number of unplaced learners is 19 913, including online applications and walk-ins.
Despite numerous calls for parents to use the admissions site, the department says it recorded a large number of walk-in applications.
"12 821 completely new applications through walk-ins at the admission centres have been received by the department, of which 7 820 are for grade one and 5 001 for grade eight.
"The number of unplaced learners whose parents applied online has been drastically reduced to 7 092, of which 3 930 are grade one and 3 162 are from grade eight.
"The department is prioritising placement of learners that applied online and where there is adequate space, parents that have walked in will be accommodated."
According to the department, one of the main reasons for the delay in placing these learners is the overwhelming demand for spaces where schools are completely full.
"This makes it hard to accommodate the child in the first school of choice of a parent. We appeal to parents to accept the offers being given by districts."
Another reason is administrative delays, adds the GDE.
For example, schools not updating placement data on time and the intense process of verifying the placement information submitted by schools to districts, it says.
To date, 312 088 applications were processed online and 304 996 leaners have been placed, according to the GDE.
The department also notes it received more than 70 000 online applications after the deadline of 1 June 2016.
"The department is grateful for the cooperation it has received from parents that heeded the call to use the online system. It goes without saying that some parents faced frustration during the application and placement period.
"For this, we apologise unconditionally to those parents," it concludes.
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