Gauteng logs more than 210,000 school applications within hours of 2027 admissions opening

More than 210,000 applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 public school placements in Gauteng were submitted within hours of the province’s 2027 Online Admissions system going live, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said.

Large early surge after system launch

The GDE said the Online Admissions system opened at 8:00am on Wednesday, 5 August 2026, and by 12:00pm that day 210,055 applications had already been submitted. The department also reported that 12,058 parents had joined the online queue between 7:30am and 7:59am to apply as soon as the portal opened.

Where demand is highest

The department said the process had run smoothly and that the Ekurhuleni South and Tshwane West districts recorded the highest demand during the early hours.

Among secondary schools, Hoërskool Langenhoven in Tshwane West received the most applications with 1,168, followed by Alberton High School with 1,098 and Hoërskool Akasia with 917. Among primary schools, Rachel de Beer Primary School led with 474 applications.

Official response and advice to parents

Gauteng MEC for education, sport, arts, culture and recreation, Lebogang Maile, welcomed the progress on the first day and said improvements to the system were still planned. He was quoted saying:

“We are going to improve it further and resolve the problems that parents face.”

Maile urged parents to apply early, saying:

“The parents must not wait. They must register as soon as possible. They must not wait until the last moment.”

The MEC said early data submitted through the system helped the department plan resources, explaining:

“It helps us to know if we need more teachers… more teacher support materials… if there’s going to be more kids who need school transport, who need school nutrition.”

Fraud warning and support options

The department cautioned parents against fraudsters falsely claiming to represent the department or offering guaranteed placements for payment, stressing that Online Admissions is completely free.

Parents needing help were directed to the department’s support points: 48 walk-in centres, 15 district offices or public schools, where trained officials are available at no cost.

Key dates and how to apply

Applications close at midnight on Friday, 4 September 2026, and can be submitted via the GDE admissions website.