Lesufi administration fails to enroll Gauteng learners

Image: The Citizen

The failure of the Gauteng government, led by Premier Panyaza Lesufi, to enrol all learners in schools before the 2026 school year commences is unacceptable.

A mere 606 of the more than 5 000 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners have been enrolled over the past two weeks, leaving 4 858 learners without any idea where they will attend school just one week before the academic year is set to start. 

This minimal progress is indicative of poor planning, incompetent administration and a clear lack of urgency.

Despite assurances from the MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, that the process is “efficient and fair”, the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) is receiving numerous reports of learners being placed at schools up to 95 km from their homes.

These placements undermine family stability, learner safety and community-based education, while shifting the costs of government failure onto parents.

Parents have also raised serious concerns about the process of reapplying for Grade R learners to remain at their current schools, only to be placed elsewhere after uniforms were already obtained and arrangements made.

This practice creates uncertainty and disregards parental choice.

In the Tshwane Metro, petitions highlight recurring problems: Grade 8 bottlenecks, unexplained appeal rejections, the separation of siblings, safety issues and special circumstances being disregarded.

Enrolment on paper does not guarantee actual access to education, especially not when children are removed from their communities or have to wait for confirmation of placement until the very last minute.

This stems from admission processes commencing too late, inadequate capacity planning in high-growth areas and a lack of transparency.

The Freedom Front Plus believes in decentralised, community-oriented education where parents actually have a say and children are educated close to home.

A competent provincial government would start admission processes earlier, prioritise local and family placements, expand capacity where population growth demands it and ensure no learner is forced to travel excessively far.

The Lesufi administration’s ongoing failure confirms that Gauteng’s education system is poorly managed with learners, families and communities paying the price.