Some Gauteng pupils placed temporarily in schools as GDE battles capacity issues

As Wednesday marks the first day of the 2026 academic year, some Gauteng pupils will have to be temporarily placed in schools as the Education Department battles capacity issues.

About 3,000 grade 1 and 8 pupils remain without placements in high-pressure areas.

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Almost annually, the Gauteng Department of Education struggles to place pupils due to the high demand in certain areas.

On Tuesday, several district offices around the province had parents in snaking queues with the hope of securing placement in a school of their choice.

On Wednesdaymorning, those queues are expected to form once again, as 3,000 grade 1 and 8 pupils remain without schools.

On the sidelines of the matric result celebration event on Tuesday, MEC Matome Chiloane said after the next 10 days of trying to find placements, those left stranded will have to be temporarily placed in schools.

“Because we have to create these schools in the areas that we have reached capacity - the high-pressure areas - because the current schools there are really full. If we put any more learners to them, we are really going to begin to collapse the system.”

Chiloane said the new schools that the department is setting up should be ready by the end of January.