Frustration, disappointment and worry, these are just some of the feelings a number of parents are currently faced with.
As schools opened their doors in the Western Cape on Wednesday 17 January many learners have still not been placed. This has had a great impact on a Saldanha parent and her child, who did not start the school year in a classroom yesterday.
The parent has been struggling to get her child placed and has faced many difficulties.
“I feel as if I am letting him down, as I keep telling him education is important and now he does not have a school to attend at this stage. I am furious with the government, for it knows the needs of each community and waits every year at this time to attend to learners not having a place, instead of attending to this during the last term.”
As for her son, the parent said her child is not happy at all. “He is scared, feels pressure and missing out on a lot of school work.”
Should she not find a placement for her son, there are not many options or avenues she can take, which feels like big weight on her shoulders.
Although the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said it will do its best to place every learner it has made it clear schools in the Western Cape are full.
David Maynier, Minister of Education in the Western Cape, said in a statement his department had already received 609 new, extremely late applications during the first 10 days of January, and placement was underway for 2 636 Grade 1 and 8 learners.
“The next key date in the admissions calendar is the 10th day Snap survey, which is critically important for two reasons,” he said. “It will indicate where there are still spaces available for learners needing a place, and it will allow us to more effectively allocate resources to accommodate the extremely late applications we are receiving, and will still receive.”
Maynier said the WCED asked for patience as it made progress in placing these extremely late applicants.
“We cannot predict where and when these late applicants will be placed, and this has made planning our resource allocation in advance extremely difficult.
“We urge any parent who has not yet applied for the 2024 school year to do so immediately at their education district office.”
District office details are available here:
