DBE finds only African and Coloured pupils on Western Cape school waiting lists

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has told Parliament it found that “only African and Coloured pupils” appeared on waiting lists collected from Western Cape schools, raising fresh concerns about admissions practices in the province.

Findings presented to Parliament

The DBE presented the preliminary findings to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education during a follow-up engagement into allegations of racial profiling and discrimination in pupil admissions in the province. The department said its findings are preliminary and are being verified with provincial education departments before a final report is submitted to Parliament.

How the admissions system operates

The DBE reported that the Western Cape admissions system does not place pupils directly and allows schools to apply their own criteria and discretion when making placement decisions. It found that school governing bodies were involved in administering learner admissions in a majority of schools in the City of Cape Town educational districts.

The department noted that the province “does not appear to apply zoning or the use of residential address for pupil placement” and that the “right of parents to select schools appears to take precedence against the right of deserving pupils who may be disadvantaged by the discriminatory placement of other pupils.”

Concerns about selection criteria and waiting lists

The DBE said some schools use selection factors such as academic performance, interviews and tests, scoresheets, proof of employment and unabridged birth certificates. It also analysed application forms and found schools requested information on participation in sport, leadership roles and photographs of pupils, which the DBE said should be excluded from selection criteria.

On pupils who were not admitted, the department cited reasons given by schools including physical space constraints and parents paying additional school fees to keep class sizes smaller. The DBE said that, as a result, “these learners were forced to find schools outside their area of residence despite available spaces in the school.”

“Only African and Coloured pupils appeared in the collected waiting lists.”

Provincial response and legal context

The report to Parliament follows earlier scrutiny and legal challenges. The Western Cape High Court found aspects of the WCED’s pupil admissions system unconstitutional and discriminatory in November last year; the provincial department has appealed that judgment.

Responding during the parliamentary engagement, Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier said the province could not discuss the matter in detail because it remained before the courts. He said,

“In respect of the judgment, the judgment, as members know, is suspended. The judgment is before the court, and we are awaiting a judgment in relation to our application for leave to appeal, and that is why we say the matter is sub judice,”

Questions over provincial intervention

The DBE found provincial officials generally became involved only after pupils had not been placed and then negotiated alternative placements. It said there was “no evidence of intervention on pupils placement (letters to instruct schools to review their placement decisions).”

What the DBE says next

The department emphasised its findings are part of a preliminary review and are being verified with provincial education departments before a final report is prepared for Parliament.