Education academy fends off ‘illegal’ status allegation

A foundation to lower level primary school with value-adding potential to Alexandra‘s children may be scuppered if a rumour on its status persists.

This is according to Waahida Tolbert-Mbatha, founder and principal of five-year-old Kgololo Academy on 2nd Avenue. In a statement, Mbatha suspects that an aggrieved lot and competition for enrolment and access to the academy’s quality services may be at the core of their challenge. She said this sadly drew in some police officers to intimidate the institution. This is after detractors came with the officers later found not to be from Alexandra Police Station to quiz her about the status of the school.

She said, “We were founded simply to provide scholars from Alex with access to a world-class education at an accessible and affordable cost. “We can in our 6th year, boast that our scholars are curious, courageous, articulate, thoughtful, and are by far the hardest working group of youngsters that I’ve ever had the gift of working with.”

Mbatha identified the detractors as former staff on a mission to defame the school because they were ousted for not living up to the institute’s values. “They are part of a sub-set of parents who defame the school because they failed to re-register and no longer have space at the school and those who were expelled for sexually harassing and physically assaulting staff and students.”

Seemingly, they recruited other community members she said have never been to the school but, “Just can’t stand that we have managed to pull off what others said we couldn’t do – build a private school in Alex that accepts all students and places them on the path to university.”

She added, “They are shocked that the institution has grown from less than 40 students to 250 pupils from Grades R to 5. To them, something must be wrong if a school is able to manage this.”

She said the incidents started last November when seven of them with two police officers barged into the premises and demanded to see work permits and identity documents of staff alleging that they were tipped off of undocumented staff at the institution. “It was untrue and I refused to yield to their demand and they threatened to arrest me stating that I most probably was also an illegal migrant,” Mbatha who is of African-American descent and married to an Alexandrian said.

She said the officers refused to show their badges and had no warrant for their request. They left after a group of her friends and sympathetic parents came and asked them to stop the harassment. Also, afterwards, the institution’s lawyers were told by the station that no consent had been given for the ‘raid’.

Mbatha who is concerned of other parents being misled and withdrawing their children asserted,” It is, unfortunately, their children’s loss as space is quickly filled in from the many on the waiting list.

“We are a registered primary school and will share the certificate (seen by Alex News) with anyone wishing to see it.

“They also can check our status with the Independent Schools Directorate at the Department of Education or demand the directorate visit us with them.”

She scoffed at allegations of self-enrichment for her family from the R1 200 monthly school fees paid by parent per child. “I have only been paid R60 000 in salary since the school’s inception. “Also, I receive a monthly stipend of R1 500 for the cell phone bill, I make no money from the academy but do it for the love.”

Mbatha’s detraction continued on 30 January when a parent also with two police officers came and demanded a refund after withdrawing her child from the alleged ‘illegal’ school. She said proper procedures were not followed and claimed the officers were again used for intimidation, in addition to threats of court action being used.

She is concerned that the motive may also be laced with racism and xenophobia. “We are a private school started by black people one of whom happens to be a foreigner, and, are targeted because we are winning and some people just can’t stand things like teaching kids math and how to read.”

She decried the unfortunate circumstances causing Alex’s many schools and crèches to have sub-par facilities, unmotivated and under-educated staff, overcrowded classrooms and lack of resources. “I find it odd that a school that is of choice to many and serves at the pleasure of the community is targeted. “If it’s determined that the community no longer supports our mission and vision we will relocate to a community that does.”

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