GDE placement system has taken away ability to choose what's best for children - parents

JOHANNESBURG - Hundreds of frustrated parents in Gauteng said the education department’s placement system had stripped them of the ability to choose what was best for their children.

Thousands of parents gathered at education district offices across the province to contest admissions and seek answers for unplaced grade 1 and 8 pupils.

The frustration among some parents comes as schools are expected to reopen for the start of the academic year on Wednesday.

Scores of parents have gathered at the education department’s district offices in Soweto, mimicking similar scenes in Roodepoort and Randburg.

A few children dressed in school uniform joined their parents and guardians in the queues.

This while the relentless heat from the sun only added to the mounting frustration of the day.

Alicia is one of many parents who completed their child's application last year but was shocked to hear where he had been placed.

"They placed my child in an Afrikaans medium school and he is English and I spoke about it, I told them already last year and they said they will fix it and I couldn't apply anywhere else because the child was already placed."

Another parent has accused the department of hindering the futures of their children.

"We already know our children are going to school to barely learn anything and now you are giving them a placement that we can't even choose because we can't choose that environment and the government is standing there and it's becoming a bit frustrating."

With schools expected to open on Wednesday, it seems many children will remain in limbo.