Parents can approach the district offices of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) for assistance if they are still looking for accommodation for their children in school for 2005.

The WCED's district offices are called Education Management and Development Centres (EMDCs), which are responsible for managing education in each district.

The WCED launched a major publicity campaign in August to persuade parents to apply for admission of their children to schools by 15 September, if they had not already done so.

The campaign was aimed in particular at parents of children entering Grade 1 or high school (Grade 8) for the first time, as well as parents of children changing schools.

The WCED has introduced special measures to identify learners still looking for accommodation, to identify available accommodation, and to direct parents to schools that still have places available.

We appeal to parents to approach our EMDCs as soon as possible – well before 15 November - if they still need assistance. We have to place all learners before the end of the year to ensure a smooth start to the 2005 school year.

We are also urging parents not to enrol their children with illegal, informal schools that are not officially registered with the WCED. The WCED will accommodate all learners in our public schools.

We have already received information that such a "school" is canvassing for learners in our Metropole South district. This problem occurs almost every year at this time. Parents can consult the WCED if they have any queries regarding the official status of a particular school.

While some of our schools are overflowing, others have accommodation available. We have to use all available accommodation as effectively as possible.

In additional to matching and placing individual children, the WCED is engaged in a number of other initiatives to ensure effective use of available accommodation.

The WCED has contingency plans in place to effectively manage any potential challenges that could arise in 2005.

Other measures include the province's ongoing school building programme and the provision of mobile classrooms, in conjunction with the Department of Transport and Public Works.

Accommodation will be tight in certain areas in 2005. However, we can go a long way towards providing places for all if parents, schools and our support structures continue to work closely together.