Boarding schools open online applications

By Nqobile Tshili

GOVERNMENT has opened online applications for 2018 Form One boarding school places with limited places on offer. Parents and guardians can start applying online today for their children intending to go to boarding school next year.

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

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education said there are only 24 246 Form One boarding school places against a potential demand of 367 629.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education successfully launched (EMAP) Electronic Ministry’s Application Platform for Form 1 boarding places enrolment in 2016. The advantages of using the platform among others include, time efficiency, corruption minimisation, zero registration cost and convenience of applying online safety and securely without leaving the comfort of your home.

Parents/guardians who wish to send their children to boarding schools are advised to start applying through the platform (www.emap.co.zw <http://www.emap.co.zw>) with effect from Monday November, 13, 2007,” reads the Ministry’s statement.

“There is vast gap between the demand for boarding places and the number of boarding places available in the country. The total number of Form 1 Boarding places available for the 2018 is 24 246 and the potential number of applications is 367629.”

The Ministry said applicants can only apply at five schools and once offered a place in one of the schools they will not be considered at the other schools.

Successful applicants will be notified when 2017 Grade Seven Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) results are released.“Enrolment by schools heads will only start when the Grade 7 results are published by Zimsec. Successful applicants will be notified through short message service (sms) by the representative school heads,” reads the Ministry’s statement. The Chronicle