Heartbreak for Gauteng families as 3 000 kids miss first day of school

WHAT should have been a morning of excitement, new uniforms and proud smiles turned into one of heartbreak for thousands of families across Gauteng as the 2026 academic year began yesterday.

- SIMON MAJADIBODU

While many learners walked through school gates for the first time this year, about 3 000 children were left at home, still without school placements.

Most of those affected are Grade 1 and Grade 8 pupils.

Outside the Morningside district education offices, tired and anxious parents lined up from the early hours of the morning.

Some stood with their children beside them, holding folders of paperwork, waiting and hoping someone would help them find a school place.

For many, the first day of school became a day of anxiety and uncertainty.

However, Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said officials were engaging directly with frustrated parents in some of the province’s most pressured areas.