Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says some 25 000 Grade 1 and Grade 8 pupils have still to be placed for the 2021 academic year, which kicked off at most public schools across the country yesterday.
The re-opening of schools was delayed by two weeks due to the second wave of the coronavirus.
Motshekga said Limpopo and the Western Cape accounted for the most unplaced pupils.
In Gauteng, at least 2 400 pupils have yet to be placed, with provincial education MEC Panyaza Lesufi promising to have this sorted out by the end of the month.
Motshekga urged provinces to hold press conferences to update frustrated parents about the backlogs in school admissions.