Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has dismissed claims that two pupils were denied admission to Northcliff High School in Johannesburg due to their parents’ unemployment status.
“It is factually incorrect that a learner can be denied admission at a school due to their parents being unemployed.
“The two learners were admitted at Ferndale High School. However, their parents refused this alternative placement offer and proceeded to purchase the uniform of their preferred school, Northcliff High School, insisting that they will camp outside the school until their children are enrolled,” department spokesperson Steve Mabona told News24 on Wednesday.
This follows a viral social media post claiming the two pupils were denied entry to the school due to their parents’ unemployment status and that the pair went to the school every morning and studied outside.
TimesLive reported that the pupils – aged 13 and 14 – had not been at school since January and had attempted to enrol in Grade 8 since 10 August 2021.
The pair completed Grade 7 at a primary school which is approximately 2.6km from Northcliff High, their preferred choice, along with Rand Park High.
The pair’s mother told the publication that they had been living in Northcliff for 20 years.
“The reason given was the school was filled by children that reside near the school,” the mother told the publication.
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The GDE stated that the pupils could be placed at Ferndale High School, and it further maintained that this offer still stood as Northcliff was full.
“The placement offer at Ferndale High School still stands as Northcliff High School has reached full capacity, and the parents were notified of this, hence the alternative placement offer given to them,” Mabona explained.
The department further appealed to the parents to reconsider their stance as “their actions are delaying, and ultimately jeopardising, their children, affecting their future dearly as a result”.
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