Mad rush to enrol Bay kids in school
● Overcrowding and late applications a recurring issue as academic year begins
Frantic Nelson Mandela Bay parents are in a race against time, converging on schools and in some cases camping outside daily in the hope of enrolling their children before the first bell rings tomorrow.
And as schools scrambled to accommodate some of the 1,017 pupils still seeking placement in the Eastern Cape, several Bay principals said it was all systems go for the new academic year.
A Herald team visited 13 schools in the city yesterday and the consensus was that they had enough stationery, textbooks and teaching staff — in stark contrast to previous years.
However, overcrowding and late applications were recurring issues.
Yesterday, parents hoping to enrol their children waited in queues at numerous institutions, particularly at Section 21 schools.
Section 21 schools are allowed access to a maintenance budget that can be used for improvements.
National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA (Naptosa) executive director Basil Manuel said parents were mostly to blame for registration hiccups.
“The crux of the matter lies in the actions of parents who, regrettably, find themselves submitting applications after the prescribed cut-off dates,” Manuel said.
“This seemingly innocuous lapse is, in fact, a source of considerable concern for educational institutions and administrators alike.
“The established cut-off dates play a pivotal role in maintaining order and efficiency within the application process.”
Hoping for the best, Quinton Lawack said he was the guardian of a 15-year-old girl who needed to be transferred to Gelvandale High this year.
“She is going to grade 9 and I want to transfer her from another high school to Gelvandale High,” Lawack said, adding that she was not happy with her school from 2023.
“But it’s a mission to do so, and a back and forth.
“The school keeps telling us it’s full, so we don’t know what to do.”
Taryn Pearce said she was desperately trying to find placement for her daughter, who needs to start grade 8.
“I applied at a specific school late last year because when the school and department advertised the application process was open on social media, I missed it as I don’t have Facebook,” Pearce said.
“I made many phone calls but received no feedback.
“I am trying again to get her into a school. I know it was my fault. I applied a day too late.”
Eugene Kayser said he was battling to transfer his child from one school to another.
“I have two children at Westville [Senior Secondary] so I would like my other daughter who is at St Thomas [Senior Secondary School] to also be with her siblings at Westville,” Kayser said.
“It would just make everything easier for driving and so on, but the school now told us we can only do that when
school opens.” Berenice Booysen said she had registered her child at the department last year, but was still waiting.
“She needs to be in grade 8 this year,” Booysen said.
“Hillside and Bethelsdorp high schools were full.
“Both schools said they would phone me, but up until now nothing yet.
“I’m in a predicament.” A mother, who declined to be named, said she was struggling to secure placement at Merryvale Special School for her special needs child.
“He’s been on the waiting list for nearly three years,” she said.
Merryvale principal Gerda Saayman said there was a long waiting list.
“I will speak to the parent. “We are ready for the new school year and everything is in place for this coming Wednesday.”
Another parent, who declined to be named, highlighted financial struggles.
“Registration for [our school of choice] is R2,200 and there are still subject fees that also need to be paid.
“Don’t get me wrong; we are not complaining about the education, but as coloureds and with how life treats us these days, does it really and honestly benefit our children in the long run?”
Education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said applications closed in October.
“We received appeals from parents in Nelson Mandela Bay who did not apply for admissions at all,” he said.
“The majority of parents are those who insist on schools of choice.
“We have more than enough space in our schools.”
Mtima said more than 1.8million pupils had been placed in the Eastern Cape for 2024.
“We have an increase of more than 8,000 learners when we compare 2024 learners with 2023 enrolment,” he said, adding they were not making use of an online enrolment system.
“There is a slight drop in grade R and 1 numbers when we compare it with 2023 applicants,” he said.
“Grade 8 applicants have decreased from 154,510 to 152,827 as of [yesterday.]
“Parents are calling to lodge appeals for grade 8 placement.
“The numbers might increase in January 2024.”
He said the Eastern Cape’s demand for placement was mostly in quintile four and five schools in the province’s hotspot districts such as Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay.
“Good grade 12 results influenced parents who work outside the province to bring their learners back for the secondary classes.”
Meanwhile, Paterson High principal Rose de Doncker said everything was ready for the school year.
“We have successfully acquired all necessary materials, including stationery and books,” she said.
“The orientation for our incoming eighth-grade students is scheduled for tomorrow [today].
“A comprehensive staff meeting has already taken place, ensuring that all aspects are meticulously organised.
“Anticipation and enthusiasm abound as we look forward to the promising academic year ahead.”
De Doncker said late applications remained a headache.
Hillcrest Primary deputy principal Deidre Warney said a slew of parents arrived at the school yesterday morning to enrol their children.
“The parents didn’t enrol their children on time, and now they’re only realising it needs to be done as schools start on Wednesday,” Warney said.
“When it comes to stationery and other resources, we have all that.”
Adrianne Armstrong, a head of department at Missionvale Primary, said they were also ready.
“We have no issues whatsoever.”
Her colleague, Cameron Lindoor, agreed.
“We have enough of everything we need, and we had no break-ins over the December holiday.”
Kwezi Lomso Comprehensive School’s principal Thanduxolo Nqolase said they were ready.
“The focus of our endeavours lies in meticulously orchestrating a return to order as we prepare for the children’s reintegration into the academic setting,” he said.
“A challenge we have is a security issue as the thugs can descend onto our school at any time, and due to past encounters with these thugs we need to look over our shoulders all the time.”
Nqolase said they received everything they needed from the education department in 2023 already.
“We do have an overcrowding issue, for sure.
“We have 36 classes for 1,800 learners, but other than that we are like a well-oiled machine ready to go.”
Loyiso Secondary School principal Raymond Mali said they did not have any problems over the December holidays and that they too had all the necessary resources for the year ahead.
“We are ready and don’t have any issues,” he said.
Newell High School had no vandalism or break-ins over the holiday and they were ready to start.
“Newell was prepared for anything that might have occurred over the holiday season,” principal Zamuxolo Mapakati said.
“And so Newell is also prepared for 2024.
“From stationery to schoolbooks, we are sorted.”