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<span>Language no longer a bar to school - Policy can’t keep kids out anymore</span>
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By Yoliswa Sobuwa -
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16 April 2018 - 12:11
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Parents of Grade 1 and 8 pupils in Gauteng are
being encouraged to use the online school application for 2019 at
<a href="https://www.gdeadmin.gdeadmissions.gov.za">https://www.gdeadmin.gdeadmissions.gov.za</a>. / SANDILE NDLOVU
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<p>Gauteng parents can choose which school they
want their children to go to without being forced to select certain
schools based on their demographics and language.</p>
<p>Today the online school applications for 2019 officially open for parents to apply for Grade 1 and 8 pupils around Gauteng.</p>
<p>Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said they did not expect any
technical glitches because the system had been modernised to take up to
30000 parents applying at the same time.</p>
<p>"We only experienced technical glitches in 2016, but I can
assure you that our system was enhanced on storage capacity and 30000
hits per second will go through without fail," Lesufi said.</p>
<p>Lesufi said even though the 5km radius determining where
parents can apply for school was enforceable the department was
consulting on a feeder zone policy.</p>
<p>This means if a school near to your home is full you can be referred to another even if it is outside the 5km radius.</p>
<p>Lesufi said parents were allowed to apply at five different
schools and at any school regardless of the school's language policy.</p>
<p>The use of language in schools admission became a
contentious issue earlier this year, with the department taking
Hoerskool Overvaal, an Afrikaans medium school, to court for refusing to
admit 50 pupils to be taught in English.</p>
<p>"If the numbers are convincing we will go back to the school to tell them to change their language," Lesufi said .</p>
<p>Parents can apply using their cellphones, computers or visit their nearest district offices.</p>
<p>"For those parents who are computer literate or don't have data, we have provided three areas of registration," Lesufi said.</p>
<p>"They should go to libraries in their communities or the
nearest district offices, and we will also identify schools that will do
registrations."</p>
<p>Applying happens in three stages; parent/legal guardian details, learner details and applying to the school.</p>
<p>The system also accommodates people from outside the country.</p>
<p>The applications period will close next month and the placement of pupils into schools will start on July 18.</p>
<p>The process will be completed on October 31.</p>
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<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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