By Ragheema Mclean

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is reminding parents that online applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners for the 2025 school year are still open but will close next week Friday, 12 April.

WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond has highlighted the importance of enrolling children before the deadline, noting that around 41,000 learners who are currently in Grade 7 have not yet applied.

Hammond noted, “It’s been extremely successful this year, it’s been the best year that we’ve had yet. We have a call centre, which we monitor the calls coming in. These are calls from parents who need help with the system.

“This year the numbers have fallen significantly. In previous years we had thousands of parents calling in seeking assistance. Our systems have been upgraded and are much easier to navigate this time around.”

However, despite this success, the department is urging parents of outstanding learners to apply promptly.

“All we want now is for the outstanding learners who have not applied yet to do so.”

For the application process, parents must provide the last official school report card, proof of identity, including ID, birth certificate, or passport of the learner, and proof of residence.

Immunization cards are required for primary school applications, and in the case of foreign learners, additional documentation is needed.

Furthermore, to assist parents, pop-up admission sites have been arranged at shopping malls, schools, and other facilities in all eight education districts. A list of these sites can be found on the WCED website.

Click the link below for a list of all the pop-up sites:

https://wcedonline.westerncape.gov.za/school-admission-help-metropolitan-areas

For those applying for Grade R or transfers between schools in other grades, applications will open from 1 August 2024 and close on 16 August 2024.

VOC News

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