Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane has announced that more than 213,000 online applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners were successfully processed by 1pm when the 2026 online admissions process officially opened.
The online admissions application period for Gr1 and Gr8 in Gauteng officially commenced on Thursday at 8am and within the first hour alone, the system had recorded a total of 78,645 Gr1 and Gr8 applications.
The department said this translates to 32,584 Gr1 applications and 46,061 Gr8 applications recorded within the first hour. By 1pm, this number had risen to 213,654 successfully processed applications, including 93,042 Gr1 and 120,612 Gr8 applications.
As part of the start of the much-anticipated application period, MEC Chiloane led the official Switch-On at the YMCA in Ga-Rankuwa on Thursday morning, where he assisted parents and guardians in navigating the online application process.
“Significantly, over 40,000 users were already attempting to access the system even before the official opening time of 8am, with some starting as early as 5am. This early surge caused temporary delays for some users, who had to refresh the page before gaining access once the system went live.
“We therefore urge parents and guardians in future to refrain from trying to log in before the official start time, to avoid unnecessary access issues. The 2026 Online Admissions application window will remain open until 29 August 2025,” the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said.
Parents and guardians can apply by visiting www.gdeadmissions.gov.za. Required documents must be uploaded on the system or submitted directly to the schools applied to, within seven school days of applying.
Parents requiring help can visit their nearest District Office or one of the 81 Decentralised Walk-in Centres across Gauteng. The GDE Call Centre is also available at 0800 000 789, or via WhatsApp at +27 (0)60 891 0361.
“We are proud of this monumental achievement, processing such a high number of applications on the first day. This success reflects the improvements made to the system, which operated smoothly overall, despite a brief delay experienced by users who tried accessing the site before it officially opened.
“We encourage parents not to panic. The system will remain open until 29 August, giving ample time to apply,” said the MEC.
