The Erongo Directorate of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture has relaunched applications for 2027 pre-primary and Grade 1 admissions, following the suspension of the initial registration process earlier this month.
Erongo Regional Council chief regional officer Sem Ntelamo at a media briefing yesterday said the registration process was suspended to allow education authorities to assess available school infrastructure and develop a fairer placement strategy in response to the high demand for school places.
He said the review considered the number of available classrooms, schools currently under construction and enrolment demand to ensure available spaces are allocated equitably.
“The suspension allowed us to develop a strategy that is fair and just for every child. It was not simply about increasing classrooms, although some schools are under construction.
“We also looked at how to optimise the limited space available, including introducing platoon systems where necessary, so that every child has a fair opportunity to secure a place,” Ntelamo said.
Erongo acting education director Helen Asino said applications for schools in both the Swakopmund and Walvis Bay circuits will officially open today.
She said applications for pre-primary are open to children born in 2021, while Grade 1 applications are for children born in 2020.
The application period will run from 21 to 27 July.
Standardised regional application forms can be collected from the Swakopmund Teachers’ Resource Centre, the Walvis Bay circuit office, constituency offices and police stations.
The forms will also be available for download from the Erongo Regional Council’s website.
Completed application forms must be submitted to the Swakopmund Teachers’ Resource Centre or the Walvis Bay circuit office before the closing date.
Asino said the verification and processing of applications will take place from 4 to 7 August, while parents and guardians will be informed of placement decisions on 20 August.
She emphasised that admissions will not be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, but on a fair and transparent basis.
Parents whose children are not placed at their preferred schools will still be considered for placement by the regional placement committee, subject to the availability of space. – Nampa
