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On request, this circular will be made available in Afrikaans, isiZulu or Sepedi within 21 days
Also available on the GDE website at:
Office of the Head of Department
Room 1009, 111 Commissioner Street, Johannesburg, 2001
PO Box 7710, Johannesburg, 2000
Tel: (011) 355 1511 Fax: (011) 3335546 E-mail: OR
English: Page1 of 9
MANAGEMENT OF ADMISSIONS TO PUBLIC ORDINARY SCHOOLS FOR 2007
1. PURPOSE
1.1 To align the provincial admission processes with the latest legislation.
1.2 This circular replacescircular 38 of 2004.
1.3To advise Principals on the administrative procedures for admissions.
1.4To refer Principals and School Governing Bodies to the relevant legislation in order to ensure compliance around admissions into public schools.
2. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
2.1 South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996).
2.2 Admission of Learners to Public Schools (General Notice 4138 of 2001).
2.3 Education Law Amendment Act, 2002 (The Amendment of section 5 of Act 84 of 1996).
2.4.Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education (Building an Inclusive Education and Training System, 2001).
2.5 Education White Paper 5 as promulgated in 2004.
2.6 Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No. 187 Transforming ECD in Gauteng.
2.7GautengSchool Education Act, 1995 (Act No. 6 of 1995).
2.8 Language in Education Policy (NEPA Act 27 of 1996).
2.9 Refugees Act, 130 of 1998.
2.10Aliens Control Act, 96 of 1991.
3. INTRODUCTION
This circular outlines management arrangements for admissions to public schools. Principals and School Governing Bodies must familiarise themselves with the legislation mentioned in paragraph 2 and the contents of this circular.
4. REGISTRATION AND ADMISSIONS OF LEARNERS
4.1The registration process begins inJuly 2006 and ends at the end of September 2006. All learners on a waiting list should be notified of the outcome of the application for admission by the end of October 2006. Late registration is managed as per legislation by the District Director, and District Admission Co-ordinators.
4.2No school will be declared full before the admission process is finalised in October 2006.
4.3The District Director will be informed by the school admission data interrogated and analysed in November 2006 in declaring schools full.
4.4In the event of a school being declared full by the District Director, it is expected of the Principal to submit all waiting lists of successful and unsuccessful learners to the District Director to facilitate placement of such learners.
5. SCHOOL ZONING
5.1 The temporary feeder zones for 2007 is the nearest school to the parents’ home address or place of work in relation to the parents’/learners’ choice of medium of instructionafter all due processes have been complied with. However, the medium of instruction must not be used as a tool for exclusion.
5.2On waiting list A preference must be given to:
- Parents living in the area, including domestic employees.
- Parents working in the area.
- Learners from the feeder primary school, even if parents live and work outside the area.
On waiting list B should be:
- Parents who live and work outside the area.
5.3A learner who lives outside the feeder zone is not precluded from seeking admission at whichever school he / she chooses, but will be placed on waiting list B and will only be informed of the outcome of his/her placement not later than the end of November 2006.
6. APPEALS
6.1A parent of a learner who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Principal and the HOD not to admit the learner to the school must be given reasons in writing and a copy of the Appeal Form – GDE Admission 04 (Annexure B).
6.2It is essential that:
- The school must provide reasons in writing whenever a learner has been refused admission.
- A copy of this letter must be sent to the District Director.
- The District Director ratifies or set aside the decision of the school in writing to both the parents and the school.
- Appeals are made to the MEC only after the District Director has ratified in writing the decision of the school.
- All supporting documentation must accompany the appeal form.
6.3The MEC will refer any queries back to the District Admissions Team should the required form and accompanying letter from the school not be completed. Once all completed documentation is received by the MEC, a decision will be made.
7. MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES FOR ADMISSIONS
7.1The Role of the Head of Department (HOD)
Section 5(7) of the South African Schools Act, (SASA), Act No. 84 of 1996 (as amended) states that “…application for the admission of a learner to a public school must be made to the education department in a manner determined by the Head of Department.”
The Head of Department (HOD) has developed this circular and established the following structures to manage the admissions process:
7.1.1District Admission Team, consisting of the Chief Educational Specialist responsible for Institutional Development and Support, Institutional Development and Support Officials (IDSOs), and staff from the Educational Support Services Unit.
7.1.2Provincial Admissions Team, consisting of a representative from Head Office (HO): General Education and Training (GET), and twelve (12) district representatives.
7.1.3Provincial Appeals Team, consisting of representative from HO: (GET) and Legal Section, in consultation with relevant District Admissions Co-ordinator.
These structures will ensure that issues of access, equity, redress and compulsory attendance of learners at school are realised through monitoring compliance of the admissions process.
It remains the prerogative of the Head of Department to withdraw the delegated powers to the Principal if there is serious non-compliance which compromise the constitutional principles which prohibit indirect and direct discrimination and transformational imperatives (e.g. access, equity and redress).
7.2The Role of the District Director
The HOD delegates the responsibility for the administration of admissions to Head of the District in the following areas:
7.2.1Ratify and approve in writing the school admissions policy submitted by the School Governing Body.
7.2.2Ensure policy compliance by both Principals and District Officials, and institute disciplinary measures if non-compliance is proved.
7.2.3Establish a District Admissions Team and centralised clusters that will oversee and support schools in the administration of admissions. The District Admissions Co-ordinators are:
District / Name of Admissions Co-ordinator / District Office NumberD1: Gauteng North / Herbert Nkosi / (012) 326 6862
D2: Gauteng West / Sarel Streicher / (011) 660 7576/7
D3: Tshwane North / Tshepi Ntabanyane / (012) 323 9017
D4: Tshwane South / Willem Vermeulen / (012) 341 6362
D5: Ekurhuleni East / Pamela Belwane / (011) 812 2700
D6: Ekurhuleni West / Gwendoline Mote
Ria Radinne
Duduzile Seruwe / (011) 389 6069
(011) 389 6036
(011) 389 6231
D7: Sedibeng East / Jeanette Dreyer / (016) 440 1700
D8: Sedibeng West / Jeff Zwane / (016) 933 3300
D9: Johannesburg East / Tlhage Petlele / (011) 666 9000
D10: Johannesburg North / Joyce Legoete / (011) 694 9391
D11: Johannesburg South / Robert Abrahams / (011) 9832000/
2317/
1093
D12: Johannesburg West / Sophia de Beer / (011) 8315396
Head Office: GET / Tenji Marolen
Vaughan Holmes / (011) 355 0632
(011) 355 1776
7.2.4Ensure that the District Admissions Co-ordinator will be contactable via cell phone for the duration of July 2006 – March 2007.
7.2.5Ensure that the contact details of the District Admissions Teams, as well as the call centre number (0800 005 175), are made available to the parents of learners via the media.
7.2.6Ensure that by the end of November 2006 all learners are placed.
7.2.7Make sure that monthly reports on the process of admissions are written in the provided format and sent to GET DirectorateHead Office (13th floor room: 1325) by the first (1st) Friday of the month.
7.2.8Ensure that each Institutional Development Support Official monitors the admission process and policy compliance at his/her school from July 2006 to March 2007, and provide reports in writing with the necessary documentation when required by the HOD and MEC.
7.2.9Establish a comprehensive admission system, which will include the admission data from ALL schools.
NOTE:District Offices will take full responsibility for all learners that are not placed.
7.3 The Role and Responsibility of the Principal
7.3.1 The HOD hereby delegates the responsibility for the administration of the admission of learners to the Principals of schools. The Principal is hereby entrusted to ensure that procedurally, and in line with this circular and related legislation, the administration of admissions is carried out and time frames are adhered to.
7.3.2The delegation under paragraph 7.3.1 does not prevent the HOD from exercising such power or performing such duty in cases where the principals of schools do not comply with the legal requirements and procedures in line with this circular.
7.3.3The Principal remains accountable for the administration of admissions and should not delegate this authority further.
7.3.4The Principal should ensure that:
- Admission process commences in July 2006.
- Stakeholders’ meetings are organised to discuss the admission process and this circular in June 2006. Proof of such a meeting must be produced when required.
- NO parent / guardian is required or expected to pay an “Admission / Registration Fee”, because this is unlawful in terms of the South African Schools’ Act.
- NO learner is denied admission due to non-payment of school fees by his / her parent.
- NO learner is denied admission due to the previous misconduct.
- ALL parents who applied for the registration of their children receive written responses from Principals timeously.
7.3.5Administration of admissions includes:
- The issuing of application forms to parents.
- Assisting parents in completing the form when such assistance is required.
- Receiving completed admissions application forms from parents.
- Ensuring that all required forms are attached and correctly completed.
- Ensuring that ALL parents who applied for registration of their children immediately receive a waiting list number in writing.
- Ensuring that ALL successful and unsuccessful parents / applicants receive a written response by the end of October 2006.
- Forwarding all the applications together with the supporting documents to the District Admissions Team.
- Keeping a register of admissions.
- Maintaining the required waiting lists.
- Liaising with the District Admissions Team.
- Forwarding admission data to the District Director on a weekly basis.
7.3.6The admission age of a learner to Grade 1 in a public school is age five (5) turning six (6) by 30 June in the year of admission.
7.3.7Where there is an approved GDE Grade R site at a public primary school, the Principal must admit learners into Grade R as per administration measures as indicated in this circular and in line with the age requirements as indicated in the Education Law Amendment Act of 2002.
7.3.8If the Principal refuses to admit a learner to a school, he or she must provide reasons in writing for his or her decision to the HOD and the parent. The HOD must then either confirm or set aside the decision made by the Principal. The Principal must keep a record of such letters.
7.3.9The Principal must request in writing for the school to be declared full from the District Director.
NOTE:It is not the function or role of the Principal to determine whether a learner is to be admitted to a school or not, other than if the school has been declared full. A school can only be declared full by the District Director.
Language preferences of learners should be managed through the provisions of the Language in Education Policy.
All Principals are required to follow this circular without fail. Failure to do so will leave the Department with no option but to charge such a Principal with misconduct in terms of Employment of Educators’ Act.
7.4The Role of the District Admissions Team
7.4.1Facilitate the admission of learners at public ordinary schools.
7.4.2Forward applications and recommendation that require admission into schools in other districts to the Provincial Admissions Team.
7.4.3Facilitate the decision taken by the District Director to declare a school full.
7.4.4Develop a district admission database/system.
7.5The Role of the Provincial Admissions Team
7.5.1Oversee the process and procedures of admissions in the district.
7.5.2Collate admission reports and forward to the HOD.
7.5.3Monitor all admissions in the district and ensure compliance.
7.5.4Investigate all admission queries, intervene and report in writing to the HOD.
7.5.5Organise admission advocacies for 13 August and 03 September 2006, and declare these weekends as Provincial Open Registration Days for all public ordinary schools in Gauteng.
7.5.6Develop the provincial admissions strategy.
7.5.7Compile a provincial admissions database.
7.6The Role of the District Admissions Co-ordinator
7.6.1Oversee the process and procedures of admissions in the schools.
7.6.2Collate admission reports and forward to the Provincial Admission Co-ordinator.
7.6.3Monitor all admissions within the district.
7.6.4Investigate all admission queries, intervene and report in writing with the necessary documentation when required by the HOD and MEC.
7.6.5Organise admission advocacy plans and submit to Head Office by 15July 2006.
7.6.6Prepare the district admission management plans.
7.7 The Role of the School Governing Body
7.7.1Determine the admissions policy of a school in terms of section 5(5) of the South African Schools Act, the Admission of Learners to Public Schools (General Notice 4138 of 2001) and in accordance with the guidelines stipulated in section 5(1) of the Education Policy Act, 1998 (Act 12 of 1998).
7.7.2Develop a language policy for the school in terms of Section 6(3) of SASA only after learners have been admitted. It must be emphasised that the language policy of the school needs to be reviewed in line with parental choice for their children who are learners after prescribed due processes have been complied with.
7.7.3Encourage parents to apply for admission of their children before the end of the preceding school year and specifically between July 2006 and September 2006.
7.7.4Inform all parents of learners admitted to a school of their rights and obligations in terms of the South African Schools Act, 1996, and any applicable provincial law.
7.7.5Make a copy of the signed admission and language policies of the school available for ratification by the District Director.
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MALLELE PETJE
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
English: Page 1 of 9