Chiloane to provide update on Gauteng’s online 2026 school admissions applications

JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane is set to provide an update on the online 2026 school admissions applications.

This comes as the application period for grade 1 and grade 8 placements closes next Friday.

The department said some of the matters to be addressed by Chiloane include the number of applications received and the challenges experienced by parents during this period.

The 2026 online admissions applications for grade 1 and 8 placements opened on 24 July 2025 and will close on 29 August at midnight.

The department stressed that all parents with children going to the first and eighth grade in 2026 must apply online in order to be admitted to a Gauteng public school.

Before the commencement of the application period each year, changes and improvements are made to the department's online admissions system, informed by feedback from a stakeholder review system.

Department spokesperson, Steve Mabona, warned parents to apply within the allocated timeframe or risk their children going into the new year unsettled.

"Now, this is for the MEC to provide an update on a number of applications received, challenges that are experienced by parents or information that might be outstanding coming from parents."

He said the update would also provide parents with information on the course of action to take moving forward, pending the outcome of their applications.