The Department of Basic Education has gazetted two draft regulations that will have a far-reaching impact on how learners are admitted to public schools and how school capacity is calculated.
The draft Learner Admission Regulations and the draft School Capacity Regulations are now open for public comment, with submissions closing on Friday, 5 September 2025.
These proposals will directly affect parents seeking placement for their children, governing bodies managing school admissions, and communities where overcrowding and late placements are already a challenge. The regulations will shape how space is allocated, how admission policies are applied, and how disputes over placement are resolved.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the opportunity for public engagement on these regulations and encourages parents, educators, and school governing bodies to participate fully in the process. By providing clear feedback, we can ensure that the final regulations are practical, transparent, and effective in meeting the needs of learners across the Eastern Cape.
While the intent of the regulations is positive, their successful implementation will require careful planning, adequate resources, and strong cooperation between provincial departments, schools, and communities. We must ensure that capacity calculations are supported by real infrastructure investment and that admissions processes remain responsive to local needs while complying with the law.
The DA will be engaging directly with stakeholders across the province, including school governing bodies, parent associations, teacher unions, and community organisations, to gather practical insights on how these regulations will affect the day-to-day realities of our schools. These discussions will help ensure that our submission reflects the lived experience of those at the forefront of education delivery.
This collaborative approach will help to ensure the regulations uphold learner access, strengthen school governance, and deliver on the promise of quality education for all.
The people of the Eastern Cape deserve policies that are both principled and practical, and leadership that ensures every child has the opportunity to learn in a safe, well-resourced environment.