The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has urged parents and guardians who have not yet applied for school placements to make use of the late application window for the 2026 academic year.
In a statement, the department confirmed that late applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 will remain open until 30 January 2026. The late application period, which opened on 17 December 2025, has already received 11 183 applications.
The GDE stated that late applications are intended for parents who missed the main application period or whose submissions were incomplete. During this phase, only schools with available spaces are visible on the online system. Parents are permitted to apply to one school only, and once a placement is confirmed, it is final. No objections or appeals will be considered thereafter.
The department said that 4 858 learners across Gauteng remain unplaced in the 2026 Online Admissions process. This figure includes 1 381 Grade 1 learners and 3 477 Grade 8 learners.
According to district – level data, the majority of unplaced learners are located in urban and metropolitan areas, where ongoing population growth and infrastructure constraints continue to exert pressure on school capacity.
Johannesburg districts
Only a few Johannesburg districts account for most of the remaining unplaced learners:
Johannesburg North: 3 Grade 8 learners
Johannesburg East: 1 173 learners (Grade 1: 95; Grade 8: 1 078)
Johannesburg South: 352 learners (Grade 1: 250; Grade 8: 102)
Sedibeng and West Rand districts
The Sedibeng and West Rand districts have made notable progress, with comparatively lower numbers of unplaced learners and signs of stabilisation:
Sedibeng East: 70 learners (Grade 8 only)
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said the relatively low number of outstanding placements reflects steady progress by the department, particularly in high-demand areas.
“We are encouraged by the progress made in placing learners across Gauteng,” Chiloane said. “We urge parents and guardians who have not yet applied to act without delay and make use of the online system, as the department continues working to ensure that every Grade 1 and Grade 8 learner is placed for the 2026 academic year.”
Image: GDE
