More than 346,000 individual learners have applied for placement in Gauteng’s public schools for the 2027 academic year, highlighting the growing demand for education in the province.
The Gauteng Department of Education received 805,688 Grade 1 and Grade 8 applications during the 2027 online admissions period, which closed at midnight on Friday, 4 September 2026.
Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile announced the figures on Sunday, while clarifying that the total number of applications does not represent individual learners.
Parents and guardians are permitted to submit applications to multiple schools, resulting in a significantly higher number of applications than individual learners.
According to the department, 357,468 parents and guardians registered on the online admissions system, while 346,877 individual learners applied for placement in Grade 1 and Grade 8.
This figure comprises 169,396 unique Grade 1 applicants and 177,481 unique Grade 8 applicants.
Maile said the figures demonstrate the scale of the challenge facing the province, particularly as demand continues to be concentrated around certain schools and communities.
“These numbers demonstrate the sheer scale of the task before us, but they also reveal the concentration of demand around particular schools and geographical areas,” Maile said.
The department said the high concentration of applications in specific areas is placing increasing pressure on available school capacity.
With the admissions period now closed, the department has a clearer picture of the demand for public education across Gauteng and can begin the placement process.
Placement offers are expected to be issued from 15 October 2026. Parents and guardians will have seven days to either accept or decline an offer.
Those with outstanding documentation have until 12pm on 11 September 2026 to submit or upload certified copies of the required documents.
The department has urged parents and guardians to ensure that all outstanding documentation is submitted before the deadline to avoid delays in the placement process.