Those wishing to study at a tertiary institution in Gauteng should know the various admission criteria. These criteria include the online application process, the fees charged, and the admission policy. Those aspiring to study at a SETA or NSFAS school also need to know how to apply.
High-pressure areas
Thousands of applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 pupils were submitted to the Gauteng Department of Education. In total, the department has received over 764 000 applications for the 2023 academic year. It is estimated that the department will have to place 157 000 Grade 1 learners and 174 000 Grade 8 learners. It is a daunting task. However, officials at the department are determined to improve the situation.
The department has made a point of identifying high pressure areas in the province and building more classrooms in these regions. It is also transferring funds to schools for self-build classroom projects. It is also partnering with independent schools to accommodate excess learners at public institutions.
Admission policy
Developing a comprehensive admission policy is a challenging task. It requires great caution and prudence. It must also be compatible with the regulations of the department.
The purpose of an admission policy is to give the school an idea of what kinds of learners the school should admit. This can be done with regard to age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and disability. The policy also needs to state that the school will provide a place for learners with special needs.
In Gauteng, a provincial education department is responsible for the admissions process. The head of the department has the authority to determine the entry-level enrolment capacity of the schools in the province.
Fees
During a recent press conference held by the Gauteng Department of Education, Panyaza Lesufi confirmed that the province would provide R95.2 million for school fee exemptions in the 2022/2023 financial year. However, she stressed the need for quality public schools.
Currently, the government provides financial assistance to 26,000 schools. These schools receive funds from the government budget as well as donations. The amount of funds the government provides depends on the classification of the school. The quintile system has been introduced in the South African Schools Act (SASA) and is used to classify schools into five categories based on the wealth of the communities surrounding them.
Online application process
During the last academic year, the Gauteng Department of Education successfully placed more than 146,000 grade 1 pupils in public schools across the province. The department has announced that it will make use of an improved online application system for the 2023 admissions season.
The new system will allow parents to make applications for admission to grades one and eight. However, the system will not accept applications for other grades.
The MEC of the Gauteng Department of Education, Panyaza Lesufi, has urged parents to submit accurate information when applying for a spot in their child’s school. He also endorsed the use of the online platform as a way to help parents apply for a school.
SETAs
During a recent Committee meeting in the Department of Education in Gauteng, members questioned the Department on its efforts to ensure proper functioning of SETAs. Members also asked the Department to explain how it would be able to deal with SETAs that do not perform at their best.
SETAs are statutory bodies responsible for the implementation of skills development programmes in various industries. They are mandated by the Skills Development Act, which was adopted by the South African Parliament in 1998. They provide information on quality education and training as well as facilitate training for out-of-school youth. They collaborate with other ETQ assurers, such as the South African Qualifications Authority, to ensure that quality education is provided.
NSFAS
During the 1990s, the South African government decided to establish a national student financial aid scheme. It was called the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). It was designed to give funding to financially needy students to help them fulfill the development needs of the country.
During its first four years of operation, the scheme received funding from the European Union. It was also backed by the Independent Development Trust, a South African development agency of the time.
In the early 1990s, NSFAS management decided to take advantage of the technological advances of the time. It adopted a user-friendly means test to assess the relative financial need of prospective students.
