Cape Town - There was glee and expressive delight as parents and guardians of Grade 8 learners brought their children to school for orientation day.
Today, 1.2 million learners are expected to start their first day of the 2023 school year.
Many Grade 8 learners entered the school gates on Tuesday morning.
Goodwood resident Bahia Lagardien said she was proud as her eldest of seven children started high school on Tuesday, with orientation day taking place.
“I couldn’t help but be tearful. Our children are parts of our hearts and are walking their own paths. As parents, we hope her high school experience will be blessed, happy and a successful one. We are very proud of her,” she said.
The province will welcome 97 000 Grade 8 learners today.
In a statement, Education MEC David Maynier said the education system was under severe admission pressure.
“As of January 14, 2023, we have resolved 117 844, or 99.2%, of the Grade 1 and 8 placement requests for the 2023 school year, and are in the process of placing 955, or 0.8%, of the Grade 1 and 8 learners for the 2023 school year,” Maynier said.
“We have received 25 212 late applications for Grade 1 and 8 (after April 15, 2022), including 272 extremely late applications received after schools closed on December 15, 2022.
“We expect to receive many more once schools reopen.
“It is very difficult to place learners at this extremely late stage, and parents arriving now must be prepared for a delay in the placement of their children.”
The department said parents who have not yet applied should contact their Education District Office immediately.
Placement pressure was found to be highest in the metro districts.
Meanwhile, Operation Dudula deputy chairperson Lulamile Bavuma, joined by a few members protested outside the Metro North Education District Offices in Parow, on Tuesday where hundreds of parents queued to register their children.
Bavuma said their presence there was to call for the prioritisation of South African children.
“We were there to give support to those families: that their kids should be prioritised.”