Landmark decision on school placement

THE Western Cape High Court delivered a judgment on concerning the school placement of twin boys, aged 6, whose parents sought the review of a placement decision made by several schools in the Northern Suburbs district.

- GENEVIEVE SERRA [e-mail]

The case, titled RA and Another v Head of Department: Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and Others, centred on procedural fairness and the best interests of the children.

In an application for review, the twins' parents argued that they were informed of their placement at Rouxville Primary School only after the deadline for appeals had passed.

The court found this late notification to be procedurally unfair, as the parents were unaware of their unsuccessful applications to preferred school such as Laerskool Mikro, De Kuilen Primary, and Bastion Primary, until after the appeal deadline had lapsed.

The court ruled that the decision to place the twins at Rouxville, which they had not applied to, would be set aside.