FUMING parents burnt tyres outside the Northern Cape Department of Education offices in the early hours of this morning after their children had still not been placed in schools.
Parents said they have been waiting patiently for the department to place their children since they applied last year.
One parent said the Online Admission System of the department was a total fail.
“We all rushed to apply for placement using the department’s online admission system. That entire process did not yield any fruits as parents we still have to queue at the office of the department in search of placement for their children. The department last year vowed that the new online system will eliminate the queuing of parents but it did not. We still have hundreds of parents who do not have a school for their children to attend,” he said.
Another parent said she had been struggling to get placement for her child for several years.
“I applied for placement for my child when she started Grade 1 but there was no space for her. I resorted to sending her to Johannesburg to attend school. I tried again when she was in Grade 3 and again nothing. My child is now in Grade 8 and once again there is no space. I cannot understand why the admission of learners is such a challenge to the department. Parents are left stranded each year and have to miss out on crucial learning,” she said.
The parents at the district office said they will give the officials until lunchtime to provide answers on the placement.
They said they will continue to burn tyres should they not receive feedback from the department later today.
