In the Western Cape, a non-profit organization is stepping up to help nearly 21 learners who have yet to be placed in schools, as the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) struggles with over 9,000 late applications. Despite facing severe budget constraints, which include a reduction of 2,407 teaching positions, the WCED reported that by February 7, it had successfully resolved 131,800, or 98.8%, of Grade 1 and Grade 8 placement applications. However, 1,586 learners are still awaiting placement, many of them due to recent relocations to the province.
Joscelyn Beukes, founder of Empowerment Network Solutions and a former teacher, has been tirelessly working to find placements for the 21 learners. She created a WhatsApp group to connect with frustrated parents and has reached out to district offices, ward councillors, and the WCED in hopes of securing spots. So far, her efforts have resulted in placement for four children, but the problem remains serious. “Sadly, we are receiving more reports of parents struggling to find placement,” Beukes said. She now has nearly 50 parents in her WhatsApp group, some of whom are still awaiting confirmation or assistance from the WCED.
The urgency of the situation is compounded by the fact that many of these children, especially teenagers, are left at home without access to education, making them vulnerable to crime and social ills. Beukes emphasized the need for immediate clarification as the end of the school term approaches. “These kids already have a handicap of missing out on much-needed teaching time,” she added, calling for swift action to prevent further educational delays.
The WCED has received 9,289 extremely late applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners since the beginning of the year. MEC for Education, David Maynier, acknowledged the challenge, stating that placement is in progress for 848 of these applicants. “We ask for patience as we make progress in placing these extremely late applicants,” he said.
One parent, Valentino Bok, shared his family’s struggle after relocating from the Northern Cape for work. Despite trying to place his son at four different schools, he was turned away due to either low marks or overcrowded classrooms. “I am worried about my son being at home,” he said, concerned about the dangers of the streets and the academic gap his son has already faced. Another parent, who cannot be identified due to the sensitive nature of the situation, described how their foster child’s performance had suffered after being placed in different schools, ultimately leading to deregistration.
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond clarified that many of the cases brought forward by the NPO involved students who had been deregistered for non-attendance or had not met the requirements for the grade they sought. “The right contact details are also essential in this process, and we appeal to parents to contact us should they have changed their details during this period,” Hammond said. She urged parents to avoid waiting until the last minute and to apply for the next school year during the designated admission period, typically in March or April.
Despite these efforts, the situation remains dire for many learners still left out of the school system, and the WCED continues to work hard to resolve the backlog. The struggle highlights the ongoing challenges faced by families in the province as they seek access to education for their children.
