Admission policy prejudiced, parents claim

WESTERN Cape Education MEC Debbie Schäfer has come under attack from more parents claiming she was “tone deaf” following complaints that the school admission policy was prejudiced and segregated learners from previously disadvantaged communities.

Parents from different areas in the province, with a majority from the Cape Flats, alleged their deserving and academically performing children were continuously being rejected from affluent schools because of the areas they live in.

Schäfer, however, denied this, claiming that the parents were trying to “jump the queue for schools of choice” and that was not one of the criteria that was applied.

She said the department has previously outlined the appeal options available should a parent be unhappy with the outcome of their application.

“We are in the early stages of the placement process.

“Schools make decisions in respect of all applications, applying their policies and the law.

“The WCED online process allows a parent to apply to up to 10 schools.

“Encouraging a parent to apply to at least one school in their area does not infringe on their rights,” Schäfer said.

She added that schools received the applications and did not have access to determine who has been accepted elsewhere or which other schools the parent applied to. Each school separately applied the admission policy.

A Gugulethu mother, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation, said she resorted to taking her daughter to live with her mother in Claremont due to being rejected by a local school in that area since 2015.

“My daughter has been consistently rejected even though she met the requirements and lived about 4km closer to the school.

“They’ve gone as far as asking for my title deed, which at the time was shocking because I had presented proof of address in a form of a residential utility bill.”

She said her daughter had to undergo assessments and tests on June 1 that year but later found out that her rejection was dated May 29.

“I’m speaking out now because my daughter is almost completing primary school and I fear going through the same for high school admission.”

Shorn Khumalo said his niece from Observatory has been rejected by 10 schools for 2022 admission.

“WCED is well aware that the standard of education in disadvantaged areas is dire.

“Telling parents that they should apply in areas they live in is insensitive and undermining.”