CAPE TOWN – The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has placed 26 312 Grade R, 1 and 8 learners across the province since the beginning of January, in addition to tens of thousands placed during 2025.
Despite having placed 96% of all learners who applied last year—including late applications submitted up to 10 December — the WCED experienced an unprecedented number of new extremely late applications at the start of 2026, according to education spokesperson Bronnagh Hammond.
Since the beginning of January 2026, the WCED received 25 065 new extremely late applications for Grades R, 1 and 8. As of 6 February 2026, for Grade 8, the WCED has placed 99.6% of learners for whom applications were received, with placement in progress for 396 learners. In Grade 1, placement is in progress for 326 learners, representing a placement rate of over 99%. For Grade R, placement is in progress for 1,148 learners. The department received 13 905 extremely late applications for Grade R this year.
ALSO READ: School placement crisis hits Kraaifontein’s growing communities
Hammond says that with schools having only reopened on 14 January 2026, officials have worked extremely hard to place learners as quickly as possible.
“The fact that more than 26 000 placements have been made within four weeks is a remarkable accomplishment by our team.”
We remain mindful that new extremely late applications continue to arrive daily.
“The WCED has consistently communicated that the 10th school day is a critical milestone in the admissions process. It allows schools to confirm actual attendance through physical headcounts, deregister learners who have not arrived, and identify available spaces for rapid placement,” she says.
Hammond acknowledged that while it is always preferable for all learners to be in school on the first day, the reality is that late applications require time. Officials must consult with School Governing Bodies (SGBs), negotiate available spaces, and finalise administrative processes that would normally take months — now condensed into just a few days.
“While we celebrate the placement of tens of thousands of learners in an exceptionally short period, we remain mindful that new extremely late applications continue to arrive daily. These are being handled with urgency, and we appeal to the public to allow officials the space to complete this work,” she said.
