GDE: Failed promises
Epic fail. Every year the GDE promises to be better. Every year another glitch.
Frustrated and outraged, parents sit on the brink of desperation. Whilst the online application went fairly smoothly, there have been a number of curveballs since:
- Successful applicants were to be notified between 1 and 30 October – Suddenly the end date for this moved 30 November.
- Applicants were given 7 days to accept placement- surely if the place was not accepted this should have rolled over to the next waiting applicant.
GDE: Parenting disaster
Jozikids has been inundated with calls from parents in search for alternate schools. Parents who now have to reconsider funding, syllabus, teaching methods, culture, transport and so much more.
One parent shares her experience:
With antennae raised and calendars marked for the application open day, all was set. Even Wi-fi back-up was sorted for the day.
22 July- logged in at 8am. Cant get past step 4. After an hour or more this problem was resolved. Received SMS and immediately submitted documents to school with waiting number.
Fast forward to 1 October.
By then peers had been receiving messages privately from schools for successful placement. Quite dodge.
1-30 October: Nailbiting. Nothing.
30 Oct to 27 Nov: Various calls to schools and GDE, as well as email communication to enquire what is going on. Same standard reply… got to wait till 30 Nov. No problem , even though the schools have rolled out their orientation programs and other parents have bought the second hand textbooks and taken advantage of this years prices for uniforms.
28 Nov: Another desperate call to GDE. Especially since the balance of peers were placed over the last week. And this is what followed in the conversation:
- Mr M (who you’ve been liasing with) is not available. Call district office. Or go there. Provides address.
- Call district office: Mr C does not answer call. Call alternate number. Ms L says the office has been closed for 2 years now as Mr C suffers from cancer and is undergoing treatment. Will re-open in Feb.
- Call GDE Head office again. Mr D (the head) is in a meeting. Will return call or can contact him on cell.
- Call cell: Im so sorry this is out of my hands. Please call the principal to ask them to change your application to a boarding application so you can get place. Also, there is no place actually, so you will be placed elsewhere.
GDE: N0 response 2 months down the line
Nov 29: Go to school admission. Sorry Sir, this is out of our hands. Only the GDE can place or waive.
- Call GDE back. Please whatsapp Mr D. maybe he will help.
Nov 30: D Day – No placement
Dec 1 : Numerous calls to various departments and school – still nothing.
Dec 2: placed at a school that is far from home and unsuitable for us. Denied placement and sent an objection.
Dec 6: Received notification that objection was unsuccessful. Forced to take place.
School also advises we wait till Jan or Feb next year. Should a place open up. What!
What must I do with my kid while they decide if they have place?!
Like what on Earth! Note that this is a sibling application, within feeder zone and from a feeder school. The applicant (my son) has been at the prep since Grade R, and so have my older and younger sons.
GDE: Discrepancies
- Private notifications were sent to parents prior to the 3rd of October.
- Concession were supposed to have been made for siblings. This was suddenly waived towards the end of November.
- The GDE argues that the feeder zone is 1km from school. Initially the feeder zone was set at 30km. Parents who live further than 8km have been laced, yet we who are 1,6 or even 500m away have been told we are not in the feeder zone.
- The school says GDE has the final say. The GDE says the school has the final say.
- Why was the placement date moved from the 30th of October to 30th of November?
As citizens we have a right to education. We should be given a fair chance to apply at schools we prefer and be placed within those parameters. The fact that we are now being forced onto other schools and moreso private schooling is NOT acceptable.
Will the GDE pay fees for a private school or manage my schedule for transport while I fit in my other kids at the 2 other schools already? Will they? I have followed all protocols. I haven’t arrived at the school or the office with chocolates like some of the other citizens, securing a place. Does that make my application unsuccessful?
GDE – go figure!
