The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has announced that 99% of learners whose parents submitted complete online admission applications have been placed. This marks a significant milestone for the province's online application system.
The department received a total of 344,725 applications for learners entering Grade 1 and Grade 8 in 2025. Of these, 325,858 were deemed complete, meeting all the required criteria and including necessary supporting documents.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane hailed the 2025 online admissions process as the most successful since the province introduced the digital system. "We are in a better position than ever since we started with online placement," he said.
Grade 1 Applications: 100% Placement Achieved
The GDE confirmed that all learners with complete Grade 1 applications have been successfully placed in schools across the province. A total of 165,785 Grade 1 applications were submitted, with 157,406 classified as complete. However, 8,379 applications remained incomplete and were not processed.
Grade 8 Applications: A Few Still Unplaced
For Grade 8, the GDE processed 168,452 complete applications. While the majority have been placed, 124 learners are still awaiting placement. MEC Chiloane assured parents that a meeting will be held to finalise these placements.
Incomplete Applications Remain Unresolved
The department has yet to address the 19,032 incomplete applications. Chiloane emphasised that incomplete submissions could not be processed. "When you have an incomplete application, we didn’t even touch you. We can’t place a person we don’t know," he stated.
Parents of learners with incomplete applications will have a chance to secure placement at schools with available space starting 11 December 2024. This opportunity applies to the 8,379 incomplete Grade 1 applications and the broader pool of 19,032 unprocessed submissions.
Moving Forward
The GDE’s online admission system continues to improve, with the department celebrating a major achievement in learner placements. While some challenges remain, especially with incomplete applications, plans are in place to ensure all learners find a place in schools for the 2025 academic year.
