DOE launches online registration for 2021 school admissions

The Northern Cape Department of Education (NCDOE) has launched an online school registration system for 2021 admissions.

Parents have between September 14 and September 30 this year to apply.

According to the NCDOE’s website: “It is important to indicate that NO school will receive learner admission applications for the 2021 school academic year.

All parents/ guardians must make use of either the online admission process or our district based walk-in centres to complete the application for your child.”

The first of its kind for the province, the new system has been described as user-friendly, with Dr Zamani Saul, North Cape Premier, hailing it as a major milestone with which to modernise the province.

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“As this new administration, we articulated a vision of building a modern, growing and successful province. ‘Modern’ being a province which keeps pace with technology and is at the cutting edge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Saul.

“The launch of this online admission system is not only at the centre of creating an admission system that will be without glitches, but it also sets the tone and adds to our vision of creating a government that keeps pace with technology.”

The premier hopes the initiative will save parents the indignity of having to queue during the night to get their children registered at school.

“We are pleased to announce that the online admission system eliminates possible delays of more than 1 000 applications per year,” he added.

The province has also announced that 199 fully equipped walk-in centres situated in all five districts will be available for those parents who do not have access to the internet.

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Saul mentioned that parents should be aware that the success of their application will depend on the selection criteria they have used. Among the selection criteria, the department will take into consideration whether there is a sibling, parent or guardian working at the school.

Another factor is whether the applicant learner lives in the same suburb, or one adjacent to the school.

“If spaces remain after applicants who meet the criteria above have been admitted, others will be considered,” he elaborated.

Saul said it is important for parents to understand the admission criteria before the opening of the system. This understanding will avoid unnecessary appeals and delays on the system at the beginning of next year.

“I must highlight that delays and appeals have a tendency to be disruptive on the ability of the schools to [administer] effective learning and teaching on the first day of schooling,” he emphasised.

“Soon we will launch our enrolment brigades, people who will go door to door to ensure that all children of school going age are at school,” Saul concluded.

Parents can log on to the NCDOE Online Learner Admissions website at www.ncdoeadmissions.org once it is live (September 14) to complete the application process, which consists of three steps: