Education Dept Scrambles To Place Learners After Gauteng First School Day Chaos

The Gauteng Department of Education has moved to reassure anxious parents that no child will be left without a school, after dozens spent the first day of the academic year queueing at district offices in search of placements.

While many families marked the milestone of a first day of school on Wednesday, others were left frustrated as overcrowding in the province’s education system once again spilled into public view.

Parents Queue at District Offices as Schools Run Out of Space

Several parents spent hours at district offices, including Morningside, after their children—mostly in Grade 1 and Grade 8—were not placed at schools.

With learner numbers continuing to outstrip available spaces, some parents were told to wait up to 10 days for placement, while others were instructed to return on Friday.

Visibly distressed parents left offices concerned and disappointed after missing what was meant to be a key milestone in their children’s lives.

Education Department Promises Temporary Classrooms

Tensions flared as angry parents confronted Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona, demanding immediate answers.

Mabona insisted the department has a plan to absorb unplaced learners, saying temporary measures would be implemented, as has been done in previous years.

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“Then once their satellite school is opened, then we move all of them to the satellite,” Mabona said.

Container ‘Satellite Schools’ Remain a Point of Contention

The so-called satellite schools referred to by the department consist of mobile container classrooms, often fitted with ablution facilities and designed to function as temporary school sites.

However, these structures have previously sparked backlash from parents, with some rejecting them as unsuitable for long-term learning.

Despite the criticism, the department maintains that the approach is necessary to manage pressure on Gauteng’s overcrowded school system while permanent infrastructure is developed.

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