New feeder zone regulations will be fair and transparent, says Lesufi

Lesufi briefed the media on Sunday on the approval of the regulations on school admissions including feeder zones by the Gauteng legislature.

Pupils are currently allowed to attend schools in areas where they live.

The new rules does away with this regulation, allowing parents to apply to the schools of their choice.

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This will especially benefit previously disadvantaged pupils, says Lesufi.

“All the admissions policies that are not in compliant with the new feeder zones the likelihood of them being approved by the department is zero. The new regulations enables the management of admissions in entry phase grades through an online registration process."

Lesufi says the regulations also clarifies the criteria which is used to place learners.

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The MEC believes the approval of the regulations will aid transformation and ensure all pupils will be able to access quality education and given the same opportunities.

"Gone are the days where our people are told you are born in the township or rural area and therefore you can't be admitted on a school that is outside 5 km radius.

“Gone are the days our people will be excluded from entering quality schools purely because they speak a different language or they come from a different cultural group.

“Gone will be the days where our children will not be allowed to go to a certain school on the based that that school feels like they are full even if they are not full. That decision to declare whether they are full or not full now lies with the HOD," says Lesufi.

Schools will be given two months to prepare for the new regulations.

"The publication of feeder zone dictates that schools will have to submit their admission policies to the HOD for ratification within 90 days. However, they'll be transitional arrangement for almost two months to allow schools to understand and to move from their current policies to the new policies.. we are also convening a meeting for all SGBs to release this regulation," Lesufi says, promising that the new process will be fair and transparent.

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