UMnyango WezeMfundo
Department of Education
Lefapha la Thuto
Departement van Onderwys
Circular 35 / 2004
Date: 15 June 2004
Management of Admissions to Public
Special and Specialised Schools
for 2005
Topic
Annexure 1: Form C1: GDE ADMISS.05
Annexure 2: Waiting List / Enrolment List
Enclosures
Distribution
 All Divisional Managers and Senior
Managers at Head Office and District
Offices;
 Principals and staff of all public special and
specialised schools;
 Members of School Governing Bodies;
 Teacher Organisations and Unions; and
 Relevant Non-Governmental Organisations
The information must be forwarded to all
learners, parents and caregivers
Enquiries
On request, this circular will be
made available in isiZulu, Sepedi
and Afrikaans within 21 days
ISP Directorate
(011) 355 0728 / 0733
Also available on the GDE website at: www.education.gpg.gov.za
Office of the Chief Executive Officer
Room 1009, 111 Commissioner Street, Johannesburg 2001
P.O. Box 7710, Johannesburg, 2000
Tel: (011) 355-1511 Fax: (011) 333-5546 E-mail: ceogde@gpg.gov.za OR mallelep@gpg.gov.za
Page 1 of 12
ADMISSION OF LEARNERS TO PUBLIC SPECIAL
AND SPECIALISED SCHOOLS FOR 2005
1.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Circular is to:
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
2.
align the provincial admissions processes with the latest legislation;
replace Circular 62 /2002 and 42 /2003;
advise principals of special and specialised schools on administrative procedures
for admission of learners to special and specialised schools for 2005;
refer principals and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) to the relevant legislation
to ensure compliance with admission into special and specialised public schools.
INTRODUCTION
This Circular outlines the management procedures and processes for
admission of learners at special and specialised schools for the year 2005.
In revising and aligning the admission process, the GDE focused on
applying the relevant legislation by supporting the principles of access,
equity, redress and the prevention of unfair discrimination.
3.
LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK




South African Constitution
South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996)
Admission of Learners to Public Schools (General Notice 4138 of 2001)
Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education (Building an Inclusive
Education and Training System, 2001)
 (Gauteng) School Education Act, 1995 (Act No. 6 of 1995)
 National Education Policy Act 27 of 1996.
4
MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES OF ADMISSION
4.1
The Role of the Head of Department (HOD)
Section 5(7) of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (SASA), Act No. 84 of 1996
(as amended) states that –
"… application for the admission of a learner to a public school must be made to
the education department in a manner determined by the Head of Department."
In order to comply with the above mandate the HOD of the Gauteng
Department of Education has established the structures listed below and
developed processes and procedures to be followed during the admission of
learners into special and specialised schools.
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The following structures have been established:
 District Admissions Teams (Ordinary Schools) = DATOS
 District Admissions Teams (Special and Specialised Schools) = DATSSS
 Provincial Admissions Team for Special and Specialised Schools = PATSSS
The DATSSS and PATSSS comprise of staff from Head Office and District Offices.
4.2
The Role of the Head of the District
The HOD delegates the responsibility for the administration of admissions in
districts to the Head of the district in the following areas:
 Establish and manage DATSSS;
 Co-ordinate the admissions procedures for special and specialised
schools at district level;
 Co-ordinate the registration procedures for special and specialised
schools at District level;
 Co-ordinate late registration as well as registration of transferred learners
throughout the year;
 Monitor the non-attendance at schools of learners of compulsory schoolgoing age;
 Monitor the register for admissions;
 Ratify and certify the School Admissions Policy submitted by the School
Governing Body; and
 Ensure policy compliance by principals and institute disciplinary measures
if non-compliance is proved
4.3
The Role of the Principal
The HOD hereby delegates the responsibility for the administration of the
admission of learners to a special or specialised school to the principal.
The principal has to ensure that the administration of admissions is carried out
procedurally and in line with the stipulations in this Circular and related
legislation.
Administration of admissions includes:
 Make available application forms for admission and the admission policy
of the school to all parents on request;
 Review and analyse the learner profiles, GDE 450 forms and other
supporting documents to arrive at recommendations for the learner
requesting admission at the school;
 The assessment, as stated above, should focus on the level of support
required, specialist programmes and resources available at the school,
not necessarily a psychological report;
 Conduct specialist assessments if required. No standardized I.Q tests
may be administered for admission purposes;
 Assist parents in completing the forms when such assistance is required;
 Receive completed admission application form from the parents;
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 Ensure that all required forms are attached and correctly completed;
 Forward all applications together with the recommendations and all the
required and supporting documents to the DATSSS;
 Facilitate recommendations of the DATSSS and PATSSS;
 Contact parents and inform them about the outcome of the application in
writing;
 Keep a register of admissions to the school in the required form;
 Liaise with the DATSSS co-ordinator; and
 Forward admissions data to the Head of the District when required.
NOTE:
A. It is not the function / role of the principal or the School-Based
Support Team (SBST) or a Multidisciplinary Team at the school to
determine whether a learner is to be admitted to a school or not.
The SBST of the school may make recommendations but this should
not be based on "testing". The use of standardised intelligence
tests for admission purposes is to be discontinued.
The responsibility of determining whether a learner may be
admitted to a specific special or specialised school rests with the
DATSSS and PATSSS.
B. It is not the function or role of the principal to declare the school
full. A school can only be declared full by the Head of the District.
4.4
Role of the School Governing Body (SGB)
It is the role of the School Governing Body:
 To determine the admission policy of the school in terms of Section 5(5) of
the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996, as amended), the
Admission of Learners to Public Schools (General Notice 4138 of 2001) and
in accordance with the guidelines stipulated in Section 5(1) of the Education
Policy Act, 1998 (Act No. 12 of 1998).
 To submit the School’s Admission Policy to the Head of the District by the
end of April each year for ratification and certification.
 To inform all parents of learners admitted to a school of their rights and
obligations in terms of SASA and all applicable national and provincial
policies, legislation, rules and regulations.
Should the required documentation not be obtained within three months of the
child having been conditionally admitted to the school, the School Governing
Body, in consultation with the Head of the District, must attend to the matter by
liaising with the relevant authorities and the parent.
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4.5
The role of parents
It is the role of parents:
 To complete the application form and present the application form with all
the required documents to the principal;
 To lodge an appeal with the MEC, if he / she is dissatisfied with the decision
taken by DATSSS;
 Avail him / herself for consultation between the SBST, Principal, DATSSS,
PATSSS as required.
4.6
Role of the Principal of the Ordinary Public School (Referring School)
It is the role of the principal of the school referring a learner:
 To arrange consultation with the parents, educators and other support
personnel concerned. These consultations must form part of the assessment
of the learner before the learner is referred to DATSSS. This process should
be dealt with as a matter of urgency to facilitate the admission of a learner
as soon as possible to ensure that the learner is not prejudiced in receiving
appropriate education.
 To ensure that the application forms together with learner profiles and other
supporting documents are forwarded to the principal of the receiving school.
 To ensure that the GDE Referral Form is completed and attached to the
application form.
4.7
The role of DATSSS
It is the role of DATSSS to:
 Facilitate the admission of learners into special and specialised schools, both
within the district, and throughout the province;
 Receive all the applications for admission from school principals;
 Assess the application to determine the optimum support the learner may
require and to identify where and how this may be accessed;
 Base the recommendations on learner profiles encompassing indicators of
need, access to curriculum and levels of support required. All the available
information about the learner, viz. school performance, life history, family
background and other available and supporting reports should be carefully
integrated and assessed;
 Avail themselves for other applications throughout the course of the year.
Details of Education Support Systems representatives are listed in the table below:
List of Names of DATSSS Officials
District
D1: Gauteng North
Name of ESS
Representative
C Kitching
Tel. No
(012) 303-4518
D2: Gauteng West
D3: Tshwane North
D Bell
M Sethosa
(011) 953-4424
(012) 303-3193
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D4: Tshwane South
D5: Ekurhuleni East
D6: Ekurhuleni West
D7: Sedibeng East
D8: Sedibeng West
D9: Johannesburg East
D10:Johannesburg North
G Kgare
M Nhlapo
B Lebeta
H Matjeke
C Mazibuko
N Ameen
L Strydom
D11: Johannesburg South
D12:Johannesburg West
Head Office
Head Office
Z Hlatswayo
C Cox
T Mashiane
N Manga
4.8
(012)
(011)
(011)
(016)
(016)
(011)
(011)
(011)
(011)
(011)
(011)
(011)
341-6362
812-2700
389-6000
421-4175
933-3300
408-9323
355-5539
355-5585
933-1093
496-2590
355-0733
355-0728
The role of PATSSS
It is the role of PATSSS to:
 Facilitate the process of admissions of learners to special and specialised
schools;
 Make the final recommendations for admissions of the learners;
 Forward the recommendations in writing to the Head of the District in which
the school is located. The Head of the District will make a final decision that
will be conveyed in writing to the principal of the special or specialised
school and to the parents.
4.9
Registration and Admission of Learners
The registration process may continue throughout the year, however, it is
recommended that the majority of learners be registered during the period: July
to September 2004.
The PATSSS Team will meet as the need arises to facilitate applications received
for admission into special and specialized schools across the districts.
It is expected that the principal of each special and specialised school submit the
current waiting list together with Annexure 2 to the DATSSS by the end of
August 2004, and an updated version by the end of January 2005 to facilitate
the placement of such learners.
4.10
Exemption of Compulsory School Attendance
All applications related to the above must be forwarded to the DATSSS in
writing, and the final recommendation will be made by the Chief Executive
Officer.
4.11
Admission of Foreigners and Asylum Seekers
This Circular also applies to learners who are not citizens of the Republic of
South Africa and whose parents are in possession of a permit for temporary or
permanent residence issued by the Department of Home Affairs.
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A learner who entered the country on a study permit must present the study
permit on admission to the public school.
Persons classified under legislation as illegal aliens must, when they apply for
admission into special and specialised schools for their children, show evidence
that they have applied to the Department of Home Affairs to legalise their stay
in the country in terms of the Aliens Control Act, 1991 (Act No. 96 of 1991). The
school should offer assistance in this regard.
4.12
Appeals
A parent that is dissatisfied with the decision of the DATSSS / PATSSS may
appeal against the decision of these structures to the Member of Executive
Council.
The MEC will, however refer any query back to the DATSSS / PATSSS should the
required form and accompanying letter from the school not be completed.
5.
CONCLUSION
It is important to reiterate that the aim of adopting the process outlined above,
is in support of the promotion of equal, non-discriminatory access to learning
intervention and support to all those learners that require such support.
The information contained in this circular must be forwarded to all
learners, parents and caregivers.
MALLELE PETJE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Page 7 of 12
ANNEXURE 1
Form C1: GDE ADMISS.05
GAUTENG DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
APPEAL TO THE MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Appeal against the decision of the Head of Department to
confirm the decision of the Provincial Admissions Team for
Special and Specialised Schools (PATSSS) to refuse admission of
a learner to a Public Special or Specialised School.
Please note that such an appeal must be lodged with the Member of the Executive
Council within 15 days of being notified by the Head of Department that he or she
has confirmed the decision of the PATSSS to refuse admission of a learner to a
public Special or Specialised school.
I.
DETAILS OF LEARNER WHO HAS BEEN REFUSED
ADMISSION
NAME:
………..…………………………………………………………
AGE IN YEARS:
…………………………………………………………………..
DATE OF BIRTH: ……………………………………………………………..……
IDENTITY NO.
…………………………………………………………………..
ADDRESS:
person lodging the
…………………………………………………………………..
(if not living with the
…………………………………………………………………..
appeal)
…………………………………………………………………..
POSTAL CODE:
…………………………………………………………………..
Contact tel no. : ………………………….. Fax: …………………………………….
E-mail: …………………………………….
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II.
NAME:
DETAILS OF PERSON LODGING THE APPEAL
…………………………………………………………………..
RELATION TO LEARNER (e.g. father, mother, guardian, custodian or person
responsible for the education of the learner)
…………………………………………………………………
ADDRESS:
......................................................................................................
......................................................................................................
......................................................................................................
POSTAL CODE:
......................................................................................................
Contact tel. no.
………………………………… Fax: ……………………………….
E-mail:
……………………………………….
III.
DETAILS OF SCHOOL WHERE ADMISSION WAS REFUSED
NAME:
......................................................................................................
ADDRESS:
......................................................................................................
......................................................................................................
......................................................................................................
POSTAL CODE:
......................................................................................................
TELEPHONE:
......................................................................................................
NAME OF
PRINCIPAL:
......................................................................................................
IV.
DETAILS OF APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION
DATE OF APPLICATION
FOR ADMISSION:
......................................................................................................
GRADE FOR WHICH ADMISSION
WAS SOUGHT:
......................................................................................................
V.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
When you applied for admission to the school, did you
1.
Complete all of the documents handed to you by the school? (Answer Yes or No) ………………
2.
Submit the following? (Answer Yes, No or Not Applicable in each case):
2.1
a certified copy of the official birth certificate of the learner .....................
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2.2
proof that the learner has been immunised against polio, measles, tuberculosis,
diphtheria, tetanus, and hepatitis B ...............
2.3
2.4
the transfer card of the learner, if he or she was enrolled at another school …………
the most recent school report of the learner, if he or she was enrolled at another school
............
3.
If you were not able to supply the documentation referred to in (2), did the principal advise you
where to obtain the necessary documentation? (Answer Yes, No or Not Applicable in each case)
.............
4.
If the learner has entered the country on a study permit, was the study permit presented to the
school when admission was sought? (Answer Yes, No or Not Applicable in each case) ................
5.
If you were not able to supply the documentation referred to in (4), did the principal advise you
where to obtain the necessary documentation? (Answer Yes, No or Not Applicable in each case)
..........
VI.
DETAILS OF REFUSAL OF ADMISSION
When the learner was refused admission to the school, did you
1.
Receive, in writing from the PATSSS via the school principal, reasons for the refusal of
admission? (Answer Yes or No) ...................
2.
Receive, from the school principal, the address of the Member of the Executive Council for
Education in Gauteng? (Answer Yes or No) ...............................................
Please state briefly, in the spaces below, what the reasons for the refusal of admission were.
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
Have you received, from the Head of the Gauteng Department of Education, written confirmation of the
decision of the PATSSS to refuse admission? (Answer Yes or No) .................
Are you satisfied with the reasons for the refusal of admission, as given by the PATSSS? (Answer Yes or
No) ..................
Please state briefly, in the spaces below, what your reasons for dissatisfaction are.
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... .................
......................................................................................................................................................
Are you satisfied with the written confirmation of the decision of the PATSSS to refuse admission, as supplied
by the Head of the Gauteng Department of Education? (Answer Yes or No) ......................
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Please state briefly, in the spaces below, what your reasons for dissatisfaction are.
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
VII.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Please give any additional information with regard to this Appeal in the spaces provided below.
......................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................ ..............
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
VIII.
DOCUMENTATION TO BE SUBMITTED
Certified copies of all the documentation and correspondence relevant to the refusal of admission must be
submitted with this Appeal.
IX.
DECLARATION
I declare that all the information supplied in this document is true and accurate.
.......................................................................
Signature
..........................
Date
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ANNEXURE 2
WAITING / ENROLMENT LIST
Grade
(specify
where
different
name is
used)
Actual number
of learners who
can be
accommodated
Actual
number of
learners
admitted
Number of
“spaces”
available
Number of
learners on
waiting list
Comments
English: Page 12 of 12