Media Release
Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape

2 June, 2014

There's no excuse for late applications.

Statement by Minister Debbie Schäfer, Minister of Education

At the start of every school year a small percentage of parents contact our schools and district offices looking to find a last minute placement for their children.

While 99% of our learner population is enrolled timeously, the 1% that applies late can cause disruption to the system.

Where there is a large influx of late applications to a school - additional teaching and learning materials need to be ordered, more furniture needs to be delivered and in some cases additional teaching posts are required.

Often these parents complain that they cannot enrol their child at their school of choice because it is full, or refuse to place their child in specific schools that still have availability. These things do not happen overnight.

It remains the responsibility of parents to enrol their child timeously.

The fact is, however, that THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR LATE APPLICATIONS.

This is the message the WCED are taking to parents this year in a campaign that encourages parents to enrol their child early for the 2015 school year. (Please see examples attached.)

While the 2015 Admissions process began as early as the beginning of March, many parents have yet to enrol their children in school.

We are therefore encouraging these parents, through the use of various media channels, to enrol their children at schools. These media channels include the use of radio, knock-and-drop information sheets, advertising on taxis, a mobile billboard and Mixit.

The radio campaign started on Thursday, 29 May. (Please see attached example)

Seven radio stations will broadcast the messages across the province in three languages for four weeks.

A total of 85 taxis will carry the message on selected routes for two months.

The WCED will distribute information sheets from door to door in 12 selected communities in mid-June. These range from Kuils River and Kraaifontein to Llwandle, Mfuleni and Mitchell's Plain.

A mobile trailer will carry the message to selected communities from 30 May to 15 August.

The WCED is also targeting young parents via smart and feature phones in the Western Cape, using Mixit, until 16 June.

The Mixit campaign will reach about 220 000 users in the 22 to 45-year age group, who will include many parents of children entering Grades 1 and 8.

The WCED is appealing to parents of children who are starting primary or high school or who will be changing schools in 2015 to apply as soon as possible during the second term, which ends on 27 June.

Schools have to inform parents in writing by 30 June whether their applications were successful.

Parents who are unsuccessful can then apply again during the third term.

Conclusion:

This year it has become abundantly clear that the main hindrance to placing children in schools is late enrolment.

The onus is therefore on parents to ensure that their child is enrolled in schools timeously before the end of the previous school year. There simply is no excuse for late applications!

Let's work "Better Together" to ensure an efficient start to the 2015 school year.

Media queries:

Contact Bronagh Casey - 072 7241422

Enrolment 2015 - FAQs

Frequently asked questions include the following:

Where do I apply?

Parents must apply directly to schools. Schools will provide names and details of unsuccessful applicants to our district offices where officials will help parents to find places, if necessary.

Do feeder areas exist?

In terms of the South African Schools Act, school governing bodies may determine their admission policies. Some schools give preference to learners from local communities while others accept learners from further afield.

Can I get into my first school of choice?

We cannot guarantee places at schools of choice, even if these are the closest to your home. Schools will refer you to our district offices if they are full.

If I am on a waiting list - what are my chances of getting into that school?

A place on a waiting list does not guarantee a place at a school. We recommend that parents apply at more than one school to avoid disappointment.

Is schooling compulsory?

School education is compulsory for all learners from the age of seven until the last day of the school year in which the learner turns 15 or completes Grade 9.

Parents may enrol learners who are five turning six in Grade 1.

However, the WCED advises parents to certify that five-year-old children are school ready, because younger children often struggle, which affects their longer term development.

What documents do I need?

Parents need to provide the following with their applications:

  1. A certified copy of the child's birth certificate
  2. Proof of residence or work address
  3. Immunisation card for Grade 1
  4. Transfer card or the latest report for learners who have already been to school
  5. Study permits for legal immigrants

WCED Enrolment 2015

Radio advertisements:
Click on the links below to listen to the sound file or dowload the zipped file

Leaflet (.pdf 200 KB)
Mobile billboard (.pdf 563 KB)
Taxi strip (.pdf 422 KB)


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