Johannesburg - The Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal has urged all parents and guardians whose children will be going for Grades 1 and 8 to ensure that they apply for them for the 2024 academic year as space runs out.
Learner admissions opened on April 12, and the closing date will be on September 30.
The 2023 academic year had a rough and tough beginning as many learners across the country were left without space in schools.
The department said learners eligible for admission were those seeking space in grades 1 and 8, which are entry grades.
The provincial education MEC, Mbali Frazer, encouraged parents and guardians to co-operate with the department on this call to avoid any inconvenience next year.
“We urge parents or guardians to cooperate with the Department and heed this call so that on the first day of the 2024 Academic Year, schools can be focused on teaching and learning and not on unnecessary administrative duties pertaining to learner admission,” Frazer said.
The department also encouraged parents who want to transfer learners to other grades from one school to the other to make their request as soon as possible.
“The only transfer applications that will be considered after the closing date are those for learners whose parents would have been transferred by their employers with effect from October 1, 2023 onwards; and they must produce evidence of such a transfer,” it said.
In addition, it will also consider applications for transfer of learners who would have lost their parents or guardians and have to relocate as a result of that loss.
“Adhering to these requirements is important because long queues at the beginning of the year are often caused by parents moving learners having not applied and when schools are already filled to capacity,” the department said.
It further said applying in time will allow it to deal with all the appeals and place those learners who would have applied, but failed to secure places.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
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