Deadline looming for Western Cape students

The Western Cape Education Department (WECD) says that the Grade 1 and 8 online admissions window for the 2025 school year will close at the end of this week, with thousands of applications still outstanding.
The WECD said that thousands of parents and guardians have not yet applied.
The admissions will close at 23h59 on Friday, 12 April 2025.
“There will also be the opportunity for parents to make use of our admissions’ pop-up help centres, which will be located at various malls and schools this weekend,” said the WECD.
These centres will provide support to parents and guardians who do not have access to the Internet.
Parents and guardians can also visit the department’s admissions page to see what assistance is available in their area.
As of Friday, 5 April, the WECD only received 67,000 Grade 1 and Grade 8 applications online.
However, it is concerned that, according to its data, over 40,000 Grade 7s have yet to apply for Grade 8 in 2025.
“We would like as many parents and guardians as possible to apply on time so that we can use this data to plan ahead and further improve the placement process in the Western Cape.”
The following certified documents are required for the applications:
- The last official school Report Card
- Proof of identity:
- ID, Birth certificate, or passport of the learner
- In the case of a foreign learner: a passport, or a study permit or proof of application for a study permit, or a copy of the parent’s Asylum seeker or Refugee Permit
- Or A police affidavit if these documents are not available
- Immunisation card (Road to Health Chart) [Primary Schools only]
- Proof of Residence (Rates account, lease agreement, an affidavit confirming residence)
Copies of documents can be certified at a police station or a post office.
These copies must be kept together, as parents will need to submit hard copies later this year to the final school their child is accepted into.
More information can be found here.
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