MEC Maile announces 2027 online admissions for Grades 1 and 8

 

Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, has provided an update on the 2027 online admission process for Grades 1 and 8.

Maile announced that applications for the 2027 academic year will open at 8am on Wednesday, 5 August 2026, and close at midnight on Friday, 4 September 2026. He urged parents and legal guardians to apply as early as possible and not to wait until the last minute.

“We encourage every parent and legal guardian to apply as early as possible, submit authentic supporting documents, follow every step of the application process carefully and make full use of the department’s official support services whenever assistance is required,” said Maile.

The MEC emphasised that all applications must be submitted exclusively through the Gauteng Online Admissions System, with no new applications accepted after the closing date. Parents will be required to create new login credentials, as usernames and passwords from previous admission cycles will no longer be valid.

Lebogang Maile, Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation. 

Maile also issued a stern warning against corruption in the admissions process. “No public school place in Gauteng is for sale. The Gauteng Department of Education does not charge any fee for assisting parents with online admissions and every official support service remains completely free,” he said. He urged parents to report any allegations of corruption, bribery or admissions fraud through the appropriate channels, adding, “Public education is a constitutional right and must never be compromised by unlawful conduct.”

Addressing concerns about preferential treatment, Maile dismissed claims that the department gives priority to children of foreign nationals. “We’re not giving any children of immigrants priority. That’s not true. That’s why we require documentation, and we’ve clearly outlined which documents are needed,” he said.

The department has established 48 decentralised walk-in centres, including all 15 district offices, the GDE head office and every public school in the province, to assist parents throughout the application period.

Maile warned that late applications would not be accepted and reminded parents that children currently enrolled in Grade R are not automatically guaranteed placement in Grade 1 at the same school. He also cautioned against the submission of fraudulent documents, saying anyone found guilty would face criminal prosecution.

Gauteng has the country’s largest public education system, with more than 2.4 million pupils attending over 2,000 public schools. Between 2025 and 2026 alone, enrolment grew by more than 23,000 pupils, equivalent to the demand for about 19 additional schools.