Gauteng records 805 688 applications for 2027 school year as Maile warns of mounting pressure on school capacity

Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile says the province’s public schools are facing mounting pressure after a record 805 688 applications were received for Grade 1 and Grade 8 places for the 2027 academic year.**

The applications were submitted by 357 468 parents and guardians before the Online Admissions System closed at midnight on Friday, 4 September 2026.

While parents are allowed to apply to more than one school, the system recorded 346 877 unique learners seeking placement in the two entry grades.

Of these, 169 396 are Grade 1 learners and 177 481 are Grade 8 learners.

The scale of the applications has put renewed focus on Gauteng’s school capacity, infrastructure backlog and the concentration of demand at a relatively small number of popular schools.

At Grade 8 level, Hoërskool Langenhoven in Tshwane West received the highest number of applications at 3 462, followed by Alberton High School with 2 756 and Katlehong Secondary School with 2 747.

Katlehong Engineering School of Specialisation received 2 573 applications, while Parktown Boys’ High School received 2 448.

For Grade 1, Laerskool Akasia recorded the highest number of applications at 1 355, followed by Palmridge Primary School with 1 330, Alston Primary School with 1 207, Lakeside Primary School with 1 162 and Stoneridge Primary School with 1 153.

Maile said the figures provide an indication of where Gauteng’s population is growing and where demand for public schooling is placing the greatest pressure on available capacity.

The MEC said the province could no longer rely solely on expanding already popular schools, arguing that existing capacity across the public-school network must be used more effectively.

“Popular schools cannot infinitely absorb learners,” Maile said, warning that overcrowding could eventually affect teaching and learning, educator workloads, discipline, safety and infrastructure.

He said the province would have to rethink how it delivers additional school capacity, including exploring public-private partnerships, prefabricated and mobile classrooms, leasing arrangements and alternative construction technologies.

Maile also stressed the need to improve the quality of education across the province so that parents have confidence in schools closer to their homes rather than competing for places at a small number of highly sought-after institutions.

The placement process will begin after applications and supporting documents have been verified.

Placement offers are scheduled to start on 15 October 2026, with parents receiving notifications via SMS.

Parents with outstanding certified documents have until **12 noon on 11 September 2026** to submit the required documentation.

The department has warned that applications without the required proof of home address, or those supported by fraudulent or invalid documents, may be regarded as incomplete and may not receive placement offers.

Maile has appealed to parents to remain patient as the department works through the placement process, which will continue until all learners have been accommodated.

The MEC said the immediate priority was to place every learner for the 2027 academic year, but the longer-term challenge was to build a public education system in which quality schooling was available across Gauteng rather than concentrated in a handful of oversubscribed schools.