As South African schools gear up to reopen on January 14, thousands of learners in Gauteng are still without placements, despite official claims that the situation is managed. The Gauteng Department of Education reported 4,858 unplaced Grade 1 and Grade 8 students on January 6, a reduction from 140,000 nationwide in December 2025. This ongoing issue highlights persistent challenges in education infrastructure and planning.
South Africa's education system faces a familiar hurdle as the new academic year approaches. On January 6, 2026, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) announced that 4,858 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners in the province remained unplaced. This figure represents a significant drop from the 140,000 unplaced learners reported nationally in early December 2025, with Gauteng bearing the majority of cases. Nationally, nearly 99% of 12 million school applications have been processed, yet 6,736 appeals are still pending.
The crisis is particularly acute in areas like Ekurhuleni, where 3,169 learners await spots. Education MEC Matome Chiloane has pointed to 'high-pressure zones' driven by urban migration as the main cause, straining overcrowded township schools. Critics, however, blame long-term underinvestment and inadequate forecasting, noting that similar issues have plagued Gauteng for over a decade.
Parents are advised to act quickly: on the first day, they should visit schools with proof of residence, birth certificates, and prior reports, requesting written rejections if needed. Escalation to district offices via hotlines like 0800 000 789 follows, with online Form 2 submissions prioritized for regions such as Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg. Collective action through platforms like #PlaceMyChild2026 on X or WhatsApp can boost success rates by 40%.
Support resources include legal aid from Section27, interim learning via the DBE e-Portal and Siyafunda app, and tutoring from Breadline Africa in areas like Soweto. A representative from Section27 stated, “Every year a large number of learners do not secure suitable placement in the first term of the school year and are placed much later or remain unplaced for the entire school year.” One Johannesburg parent shared, “Every year, it feels like a lottery. You apply early, follow the rules, and still your child has no school.”
Experts call for reforms such as adding 50,000 new seats in 2027 budgets, deploying mobile classrooms in Soweto, and implementing AI-driven placement systems. Without these, late placements risk higher dropout rates and learning gaps, especially for transitioning Grade 8 students. The delays also impose emotional and financial burdens on families, underscoring violations of the South African Schools Act and constitutional rights to education.
