Parents take frustration to education offices

ALONG queue of anxious parents and learners formed outside the Western Cape Education District office yesterday morning as families sought urgent answers about the placement of their children.

- LILITA GCWABE

Just one day after schools reopened for the 2026 academic year, parents with children ranging from Grade 1 to high school level stood outside the gates, many visibly distressed and frustrated. Several declined to speak to the media, citing stress and exhaustion after months of uncertainty.

One parent, Sasha Juter from Mitchells Plain, said she has been engaging with the district office since last year in an attempt to secure placement for her child. On the first day of school this week, her 13-year-old daughter stayed at home while her siblings prepared for school, missing the start of her high school journey.

“It really feels like I have failed my child because she has not been able to return to school,” Juter said.

According to Juter, her family completed the application process on time and without difficulty when applications first opened. However, all applications to schools in and around Mitchells Plain, as well as to schools outside the area, were unsuccessful.