GDE urges parents to accept first offer they receive for grade 1 & 8 placement

The Gauteng Education Department says parents and guardians will have to adhere to a tight deadline of seven days to either accept or decline school placement offers for children going to grade 1 and grade 8 in the 2026 academic year.

The department says it has already placed almost 90 percent of learners for the upcoming year.

Offers are expected to be sent out to parents and guardians by SMS later in the week.

Education MEC Matome Chiloane has reiterated that placements are not made according to first choice or school preference, but on available capacity.

He has urged parents to accept the first offer they receive while waiting for possible placement at a preferred school.

"I would urge parents to accept while they’re waiting for other offers. For example, if they preferred Parktown Girls' High and we’ve placed them at another school, they can still wait but after seven days, it becomes an automatic placement."