Michelle Jones
Education Writer
POPULAR schools across Cape Town are already full for next year, having received hundreds more applications than the number of places available.
Schools in the city’s northern and southern suburbs had seen the most demand for classroom spaces.
Further from the city, schools on the West Coast and Eden Karoo were also in demand.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said there was always high demand for places at schools that were well managed and maintained, and that achieved good results.
The first phase of enrolment for 2014 had come to an end at the close of the second term but a second phase is set to take place between July 16 and September 6.
David Millar, principal of Norman Henshilwood High in Constantia, said: “We’ve had over 1 000 applications for 220 places.”
The school had achieved a 100 percent matric pass rate last year.
Millar said decisions were made on which pupils to admit based on the school admissions policy, set by the governing body. Some criteria used to decide which pupils would be accepted included their academic results, where they lived and whether they had siblings at the school.
“It’s a huge lottery. Often parents can’t get their children into their school of choice.”
Phadiela Cooper, principal of the Centre of Science and Technology, said it had received about about three times as many applications as could be accepted.
The Khayelitsha school had been the first township school to make it on to the province’s list of top 10 schools.
It was a science, technology, engineering and mathematics facility, where pupils with an aptitude for maths and science were accepted.
WCED spokesman Paddy Attwell said popular schools were already full and had waiting lists.
“We will obtain a clearer picture on the number of parents looking for places for their children when the schools reopen for the third term after the midyear holiday.
“Schools enrol learners in two rounds in the Western Cape, to enable parents to apply to other schools if they unsuccessful during the first round of applications.”
He said that department officials would work full-time to help parents to find places for their children.
“The officials work closely with schools to identify available places, and then with parents to match children to these places.
“They will try to find the most suitable places, but cannot guarantee places at schools of choice.
“We encourage parents to apply directly to schools. Schools will direct parents to the nearest district office if they are full.”
New schools were expected to be opened next year but details of these these would be confirmed at a later time, Attwell said.
Education MEC Donald Grant announced in his budget speech earlier this year that R3.17 billion would be spent on infrastructure over the next three years.
This would include 26 new schools, 46 replacement schools, five replacement classroom projects and 124 Grade R classrooms.
michelle.jones@inl.co.za