Zuko Komisa

- Gauteng’s online school admissions for 2026 saw over 213,000 Grade 1 and 8 applications by 1 PM on Thursday, 24 July.
- The system opened smoothly despite early access attempts causing minor delays for some users.
- The application window remains open until 29 August 2025, with support available for parents.
The Gauteng Department of Education has announced a successful start to its 2026 online admissions, with over 213,000 Grade 1 and Grade 8 applications processed by 1:00 PM on Thursday, 24 July 2025.
The application window officially opened at 8:00 AM, with a significant surge of interest noted even before that time.
Within the first hour alone, 78,645 applications were recorded for both grades. By 1:00 PM, this figure had risen to 213,654, comprising 93,042 Grade 1 applications and 120,612 Grade 8 applications.
Gauteng’s MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture & Recreation, Matome Chiloane, marked the official launch by assisting parents with the application process at the YMCA in Ga-Rankuwa.
MEC Chiloane acknowledged that over 40,000 users attempted to access the system before the official opening, causing minor initial delays. He urged parents to refrain from attempting to log in before the designated start time in the future to avoid such issues.
The 2026 Online Admissions application period will run until 29 August 2025. Parents and guardians can apply via www.gdeadmissions.gov.za. Required documents must be uploaded or submitted to schools within seven school days of application.
Support for parents is available at District Offices, 81 Decentralised Walk-in Centres across Gauteng, through the GDE Call Centre at 0800 000 789, or via WhatsApp on 060 891 0361.
MEC Chiloane expressed satisfaction with the high volume of applications, attributing the success to improvements in the system.
“We are proud of this monumental achievement… The system operated smoothly overall, despite a brief delay experienced by users who tried accessing the site before it officially opened. We encourage parents not to panic. The system will remain open until 29 August, giving ample time to apply,” he stated.
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