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Nearly 5,000 Gauteng children still without school placement for 2026
A familiar January worry for thousands of families
For thousands of Gauteng parents, the new year has arrived with a familiar knot of anxiety. While school gates are preparing to reopen, nearly 5,000 children are still waiting to find out where they will be learning in 2026.
According to the Gauteng Department of Education, a total of 4,858 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners remain unplaced. The figures reflect applications captured on the Online Admissions system as of 6 January 2026 and form a small but deeply felt slice of the bigger picture.
Out of 358,574 complete applications for the 2026 academic year, these learners make up about 1.5 percent. On paper, that signals progress. On the ground, it still means thousands of households refreshing inboxes and logging into the system daily, hoping for good news.
Pressure points tell a bigger urban story
Education MEC Matome Chiloane says the province is encouraged by the pace of placements so far, with offers and transfers being released daily. He has again asked parents to remain patient while officials work through the final backlog.
The remaining pressure is not evenly spread. Ekurhuleni continues to feel the heaviest strain, with 3,169 learners still without placement. Ekurhuleni North accounts for the largest share, particularly at Grade 8 level, while Ekurhuleni South is also under sustained pressure.
Johannesburg is not far behind. Johannesburg East currently has more than 1,100 unplaced learners, most of them moving into high school. Johannesburg South has just over 350 still waiting, while Johannesburg North has largely stabilised, with only three learners unplaced.
Other regions paint a more hopeful picture. Tshwane has made notable progress, with just 14 learners unplaced in Tshwane North. Sedibeng and the West Rand are largely stable, with Sedibeng East reporting 70 unplaced learners, all in Grade 8.
Why Grade 8 remains the toughest hurdle
The data once again highlights a long-running challenge in Gauteng’s schooling system. High school entry points are under far more pressure than primary school intake. Rapid urban growth, housing developments, and limited school infrastructure in metro areas continue to funnel thousands of learners into the same Grade 8 bottleneck each year.
Social media reactions from parents reflect this frustration. Many have welcomed the department’s transparency around numbers, while others have voiced concern about long travel distances and overcrowded classrooms once placements are finalised.
Late applications and appeals still in play
For families who missed the main application window, late applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 remain open until 30 January 2026. Since opening in mid-December, more than 11,000 late applications have already been submitted.
During this period, only schools with available space appear on the system. Parents may select one school only, placements are final, and no objections or appeals are allowed. From 14 January, parents must visit schools directly to submit outstanding documents.
On the appeals front, more than 6,700 placement appeals have been lodged for 2026. The adjudication process is at an advanced stage, with outcomes being communicated directly to families as decisions are finalised.
What happens next for waiting families
Chiloane says Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg remain priority districts, with intensified placement processes and the strategic use of capacity at neighbouring schools. While the final numbers may still shift in the coming weeks, the department maintains that every eligible learner will be placed.
For now, patience remains the hardest lesson of the school year before it even begins.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: SABC News
