The Gauteng Department of Education has revealed that it has recorded over 600,000 Grade 1 and Grade 8 online applications for the 2026 academic year.

On Tuesday, Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, indicated that this remarkable milestone was reached on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, just two weeks after the system opened for applications on July 24, 2025.

This system, designed for parents and guardians of children entering Grade 1 and Grade 8, has, over the years, presented numerous challenges to parents, with the department revealing that it has upgraded it to cope with the demand.

Chiloane, in a statement on Tuesday, revealed that by 2pm on Tuesday, the system had recorded a total of 600,936 applications, comprising 254,251 for Grade 1 and 346,685 for Grade 8.

Chiloane urged parents and guardians who have not yet applied to do so by visiting the department’s website before applications close on August 29.

“After registering, parents must complete the 5-Step Application Process, as incomplete applications will not be considered for placement. All applicants must upload certified copies of the required documents online or submit them in person to each selected school within seven days of applying. If uploaded online, documents only need to be submitted once, as all selected schools will be able to view them,” he said.

The GDE Online Admissions System supports document verification by schools. It will prompt schools to verify and update the status of documents, whether uploaded online or submitted physically. Parents will receive SMS notifications once schools acknowledge receipt and verification of documents. Schools will receive automated alerts whenever new documents are uploaded by applicants.

Chiloane also urged parents and guardians to apply to a minimum of three and a maximum of five schools to increase their chances of finding space for their children.

“Parents are advised to apply to a minimum of three and a maximum of five schools to increase the likelihood of successful placement. It is also essential to provide a valid cellphone number, as all communication, including placement offers, will be sent via SMS. Parents are urged to keep all SMS communication regarding their application,” he added.

According to the department, parents will start receiving confirmation of placement no later than October 16.

“Applicants with complete submissions will begin receiving placement offers from 16 October 2025. Parents should log in regularly to ensure all steps have been completed. To accommodate parents without access to digital resources, the Department has made support available at all Gauteng public schools and through 81 Decentralised Walk-In Centres across the province,” he stated.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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