29-05-2025
Gauteng Education Department announces critical 2026 admission process for Grade 1 and Grade 8
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has announced online admission dates for the 2026 academic year.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has officially announced its admission process for the 2026 academic year, with reports that the process will run until 29 August
Online applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 will open on July 24.
On Thursday, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said while the focus of this year's admission process is on early primary education, he clarified that Grade R is not included at this stage.
'We are not starting with Grade R for now because we have not really, fully implemented BELA (Basic Education Laws Amendment), and not all schools have Grade R classes. Some schools collaborate with nearby Early Childhood Development centres,' Chiloane explained.
He said this decision underscores the department's commitment to ensuring that foundational education is available and universally accessible before expanding the admission process to include younger learners.
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Over the years, the province's online admissions system has faced many challenges, with parents decrying delays, technical glitches, limited school options, and difficulties for parents with poor internet access or limited digital literacy, as some of the most experienced challenges.
On the issue of Grade R, the MEC indicated that parents of Grade R pupils must still apply for Grade 1, even if the child is continuing at the same school, and warned that no late applications will be accepted.
'We prioritise those who apply on time. Late applications, when we deal with them later on in the year, we would have forfeited a single right to identify a certain school that you would have wanted for your child. Even if that school is in your home feeder schools, you will still not get in if it's full, if you have not applied in time,' he added.
As a precaution, Chiloane urged parents to apply to a minimum of three and a maximum of five schools to improve their chances of placement, adding that applying for one school does not improve the child's chances of acceptance.
He further warned parents not to fall for scams that demand payment for assistance with the application process.
'There's no one who will guarantee you a space if you give them money. Those people you must bring them to me because we don't charge, it's free, it's a right.'
