Parent disputes WCED deregistration claim

A PARENT has disputed the WCED’s account that they deregistered their child despite knowing that their application for a transfer for Grade 5 was unsuccessful.

- GENEVIEVE SERRA

The parents said they requested a transfer, not deregistration.The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said it was finalising learner placement figures with its 10-day survey data.

Bronagh Hammond, director of communications for the Western Cape Education Department said placement figures would be made available soon: “They are still mopping up 10-day survey data - hopefully by end of next week we will get verified figures.”

WCED spokesperson Millicent Merton said the learner was placed, but the parent chose to deregister the child after a transfer application to Loreto Primary was unsuccessful due to oversubscription.

The parent, however, said they requested a transfer, not deregistration, and only explored a private school briefly.

The parent said the son, aged 10, previously at Gordon's Bay Primary, is currently unplaced for Grade 5 despite timely transfer applications (August last year) to Loreto Primary (where a younger sibling was accepted).