The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) was working hard since before schools reopened, to complete infrastructure for new learners in 2023 – and find places for all new applicants.
662 classrooms were delivered on time for its January deadline. Now, the remaining 842 classrooms are on track for delivery by the end of March. Education MEC, David Maynier says he cannot thank the role players enough. Especially in light of the ‘astounding rate’ they delivered the classrooms.
Our officials, government partners, contractors, communities, and schools, have done a fantastic job. It comes at great personal cost to many of them: they gave up their end-of-year holidays, working straight through in the best interests of our learners.
Additionally, the WCED will deplaoy 70 mobile classrooms to areas where the need for placement is greatest. This is also to assist with the challenge of extremely late applications.
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Finding placement for all applicants
The WCED says it resolved 98.8% of unique Grade 1 and Grade 8 placement applications for the current school year. It is in the process of placing 1.2% of the Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners for the 2023 school year.
- Received on time, before deadline
- Late applications received after deadline, but before the end of 2022
- Extremely late applications, received at the start of 2023
On-time applications
Just 22 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners are in the process of getting placed. However, the WCED says, the parents of these learners are contactable. Or have rejected the offer of placement.
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It is absolutely critical that parents supply us with accurate, current contact details. We are now facing a situation where we have places to offer to parents, but cannot reach them. We appeal to all parents to make sure that they inform us when their contact details change.
Late applicants
Placement is in progress for 129 of the Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners whose applications were received after the deadline – but before the end of 2022. The WCED says a majority of these were received in November and December 2022.
These learners are being prioritised at present. Unfortunately, some of the parents of these learners are also unreachable, even when we have places to offer for their children.
Extremely late applications
The Department says its offices have been flooded with brand new – extremely late – applications. It says it received applications for 3391 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners since the start of the year.
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2066 of these applicants were placed. Progress is being made to place 1325 of the extremely late applicants.
These applications pose a great challenge for the Department, as they are arriving daily in an unpredictable pattern, so we are constantly chasing a moving target.
The WCED is asking for patience as it tries to place all applicants. It explains that the expectancy of the applications makes resource planning and allocation very challenging. MEC Maynier applauded education officials and schools for working under the extreme pressure to place all learners in a school.
We are leaving no stone unturned in our effort to place every learner, and we will continue to work to finalise placement for all remaining learners.
Maynier adds that the placement process can be frustrating time for parents. But he assures that the WCED is doing all it can to find places for learners – as quickly as possible.
