Article Posted: 16 August 2023
Undocumented children cannot be turned away by a public school because they do not have valid documentation to reside in South Africa. Children already enrolled in a school may also not be removed by that school because they are undocumented.
The Admission Policy For Ordinary Public Schools states the following important aspects about school admission:
- A public school must admit learners and serve their education requirements without unfairly discriminating in any way;
- School admissions are organised by the school and must happen in a timely and efficient manner.
- A public school may not use a test to decide who is admitted to the school.
- The principal of the school is responsible for giving any parent or guardian a copy of the school’s own admissions policy and explaining it to the parent or guardian if necessary.
- A ‘study permit’ is not necessary if your child has a refugee permit or asylum seeker visa to get admitted into a school.
Disclaimer: You still need to have a valid permit in order to sit for exams and obtain your qualification.
The school will be liable for a fine if they knowingly accept you as a learner, and you can be declared a prohibited person if you are at the school illegally. So even though you can’t be stopped from studying, there can be negative consequences. If you intend to study in South Africa, make sure you have a valid visa. If you intend on changing schools, make sure you apply for the correct visa with the name of the school on it.
If you are illegal and have no current visa, please contact us for advice and a way forward.
Contact: Info@tiesimmigration.co.za/ 082 737 9907.
Location: 212 Pinehurst Building, Somerset Links, De Beers Road