Last set of pupils placed in satellite schools in Gauteng

The Gauteng education department has placed around 291 574 pupils through the department’s online admissions system.

• There are 176 pupils still waiting to be placed in public schools in Gauteng.
• The education department urged parents to accept their placement, even if it was at a satellite school. 
• About 300 000 pupils were placed through the department’s online admissions system.

The Gauteng education department has managed to place the last group of pupils in the province.

The unplaced 176 pupils starting Grade 8 have been offered places at a new satellite school in Pretoria North and will start attending classes on Monday, spokesperson Steve Mabona said.

An initial 223 pupils were unplaced in the Tshwane West District, of which 47 were placed at Amandasig Secondary School and are currently attending class on a rotational basis.

In Johannesburg West District, 464 Grade 8 pupils have been placed, either at a school with increased capacity or at a satellite school registered as Robinhood College in Maraisburg, Mabona said.

Previously Mabona said Kempton Park, which was faced with high-pressure schools, would use specialist rooms for teaching to help increase capacity, while Olifantsfontein Primary School would be assisted with the delivery of more mobile classrooms to accommodate all unplaced pupils.

READ | Gauteng teacher dismissed after sexually harassing boy during after-hours math lessons

He confirmed the 232 unplaced Grade 1 pupils in Olifantsfontein have been placed at Olifantsfontein Primary School.

The school also received a total of 11 mobile classes, of which eight were currently being installed, to accommodate pupils being taught in the school hall, he said.

In Kempton Park, 106 of the 501 unplaced Grade 8 pupils were placed at schools with available space, while the remaining 395 pupils were placed at a satellite school registered as New Kempton Park Secondary School.

Mabona said parents of unplaced pupils were concerned about the safety of satellite schools, but he urged them to accept the placement.

Mabona said:

The department has placed around 291 574 pupils through the department’s online admissions system.