The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has rejected claims circulating on social media that it instructed Rocklands High School in Mitchell’s Plain to admit a Grade 8 learner despite the school being oversubscribed.

WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond says the department never issued a written directive ordering the school to accept the learner, adding that the documentation shared online merely reflected the parent’s request, not departmental approval.

“The school governing body is responsible for admissions. The WCED can only instruct a school to accept a learner once an appeal has been upheld by the provincial minister. In this case, the appeal was dismissed.”

The matter involves Melissa Smith, a mother of three, whose youngest son has not been placed at Rocklands High School, where her twin boys are already enrolled. Thousands of Grade 8 learners across the province began the 2026 academic year on Wednesday.

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Smith has expressed frustration on social media, saying she applied on time and followed all required processes. She argues that sibling placement and the school’s proximity to her home should have secured her youngest son a place.

“My twin sons are currently learners at Rocklands High. Despite sibling placement, proximity, and months of appeals, my youngest son was rejected on the basis of oversubscription.”

However, Hammond says Smith failed to indicate in her original application that the learner had siblings already attending the school, a key factor in admissions consideration.

“The parent did not declare sibling status in the initial application. In addition, the learner did not meet the admission requirements for other schools applied to. Rocklands High also received thousands more applications than it can accommodate.”

Hammond further disputed claims that the learner is unplaced, stating that an alternative placement was offered at Glendale High School, approximately 2km from the family’s listed address.

“The learner has been accepted at Glendale High School. The decision not to take up that offer is the parent’s choice. The distance difference between Glendale and Rocklands is approximately 900 metres, which is not unreasonable.”