Dear Minister of Basic Education

I am writing as a concerned parent in a community where the placement of kids has become an absolute nightmare. Every year, without fail, children are not accepted at schools within our community. (Reiger Park, Boksburg)

This is the case not only in our community but across the province. How does the department think that the online application system works, when it is evident that it is not working at all. How fair is it that a learner living in a certain community is denied education in the area where they live and in some cases gets placed in schools outside of the area. Then Parents that are unemployed and have no means of income must make a plan for transport to get these kids to school. In some cases, if kids do not get accepted at schools within the community, they drop out because circumstances do not allow them to attend these schools outside of their communities.

In our area alone, there are an influx of busses transporting learners from outside areas, eg Vosloorus. No transport alternatives are provided for kids from the community of Reiger Park that are placed at schools outside of this community. Parents are expected to make their own arrangements.

The current online system takes away the right of parents to place their kids at an institute of CHOICE. The department wants to make that choice on behalf of parents.(That in itself is an infringement of the rights of us as citizens of this country.)

In other instances, a parent feels that he/she can afford the fees charged at previously model C schools within the feeder areas and are also denied. Again, the CHOICE is taken away.

How will this issue be solved? Are we ok with the chaos that transpires every year with regards to placement or non-placement of learners. Are we ok that many learners have to drop out and become a crime statistic when we can try and change things for the better? Put better systems in place to accommodate learners with placement to schools within their respective communities.

As a parent I plead with you to look into this situation and come up with solutions to this CRISIS.