Education

(1) As at the closing date of 12 April 2024, (a) how many applications for (i) Grade 1 and (ii) Grade 8 placements have been received and (b) what is the breakdown of these figures by (i) school, (ii) grade and (iii) municipality;
(2) (a) what updates can be provided regarding the current status of learner placements for Grade 1 and Grade 8 in accordance with his Department’s admission timeline and (b) how many learners have already been successfully placed at schools;
(3) given the recurring issues with learner placements and learners missing the first weeks of school, what specific strategies are being implemented this year to ensure a more efficient placement process and to prevent such disruptions;
(4) (a) how is his Department addressing potential shortfall in available school spaces to accommodate the number of applicants for Grade 1 and Grade 8 and (b) what contingency plans are in place for schools that may exceed their capacity;
(5) what (a) measures are being taken to ensure that the second admissions window for Grade R and transfers between grades 2 to 7 and grades 9 to 12 are effectively managed to prevent similar placement delays or issues and (b) is the detailed breakdown of applications received for these grades to date?