Gauteng online school registration platform disappoints once again

The civil rights watchdog AfriForum has noted with disappointment that the Gauteng online school registration platform for grade 1 and grade 8 learners for the 2020 school year once again is not functioning smoothly.

AfriForum has received numerous complaints from parents who experience problems getting into the system or performing steps on the system because the system keeps freezing. This follows after Panyaza Lesufi, Gauteng MEC for education, yesterday during a media conference regarding the system stated categorically that the system could handle up to 65 000 applications per minute.

The main problem with the online application process is that the system refuses to verify the parents’ home or work addresses. This means that parents cannot register their children on any of the first three options on the system – first choice home address, second choice siblings in the school and third choice parents’ work address.

Many parents are worried because they can only register to be put on waiting list four or five.

Edward Mosuwe, head of the Gauteng education department, said they did not want to open the system for testing before Monday 20 May because they then perhaps would have had to make changes again.

“Lesufi is quick to point fingers at parties who always have problems with the system and accuses them of being liars or always trying to fight for the continued existence of Afrikaans. Unfortunately, one could only speculate about the sincerity of Lesufi’s motives, because it appears that the system has not been adjusted with the necessary thoroughness as agreed upon,” said Carien Bloem, AfriForum’s project coordinator for education.

“We want to encourage parents to notify AfriForum of any problems they experience with the application process,” Bloem added.

Parents may send complaints to onderwys@afriforum.co.za. Also follow the application process on AfriForum’s website under the link Gauteng-aanlynregistrasies 2020 or on social media under the hashtag VIRSKOLE (#VIRSKOLE).