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Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT is monitoring the ongoing selection process for Form One places through its online application platform with over 19 000 applications having been received so far.

A total of 24 000 boarding places are up for grabs for Form One places through the Ministry’s Electronic Application Platform (e-map).

Grade Seven results were released last week and parents and guardians intending to send their children to boarding school next year have been urged to use e-map applications to secure places at their schools of choice.

Primary and Secondary Education Permanent Secretary Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango said the system was efficient and working well.

“The system is up and running, the majority had signed in before the results had been announced to avoid congestion. There are those who are still signing in. We are now monitoring the selection. For day scholars, parents just go and register at their school of choice,” she said.

Dr Utete-Masango said this year there was no deadline for applications but parents and guardians were advised to apply early to avoid disappointments.

“We have given it a bit of time so that parents can use the system, where they need some help they can get help. It’s more relaxed than last year. It will go on until the opening of schools and any parents who would want their child to be in school should be running around to make sure that they have secured a place before Christmas,” she said.

The permanent secretary disclosed that some schools among them, Marist Brothers, Queen Elizabeth, St Faith and Fletcher High School had completed their selection process.

Successful applicants will be notified through short message service (sms) by the representative school heads.

Government introduced online applications last year after realising that parents were being short-changed by some schools.

The advantages of using the platform among others include time efficiency, corruption minimisation, zero registration cost and convenience of applying online safely and securely without leaving the comfort of their homes.

There is a vast gap between the demand for boarding places and the number of boarding places available in the country.

Recently, the Education Ministry said 24 246 Form One boarding places are available in 2018 and the potential number of applications is 367 629.

Applicants can only apply at five schools and once offered a place in one of the schools, they will not be considered at other schools.

@AuxiliaK