Frank Maponya

Frank Maponya

The Limpopo department of education has introduced stringent measures to ensure that admission and registration of pupils at public schools are brought under control.

Departmental head Zwo Nevhutalu said yesterday that pupils would have to register early at schools in accordance with the department's timetable.

"We are doing this in order to ensure that, come 2009 all pupils in the province will be in schools, with desks and learning space," he said.

Nevhutalu said the administration of admitting pupils was the responsibility of school management.

He said in cases where a child goes to school for the first time or moves to a new school, registration forms from the school nearest to the parents' home or work address must be collected from the beginning of August and returned to the school by no later than September 26 this year.

In the case of admissions to secondary schools preference will be given to pupils from feeder schools and curriculum needs, Nevhutalu said.

"By the end of October 2008 parents will have been told whether their children have been admitted or not," Nevhutalu said.

"In terms of the South African Schools Act children for Grade 1 can only be registered if they are five years old and turning six on or before June 30 2009.

"Those who are four and turning five before the date mentioned must be admitted to Grade R."

He said parents had a right to know why their children had been refused admission.