A fuming mother called the Germiston City News last Monday, claiming that her child’s results were being withheld as she owed the school money.
The mother claimed Hoërskool Elsburg had informed her that she would not be able to collect her daughter’s Grade Nine report, due to her outstanding school fees.
The GCN contacted the Gauteng Department of Education to establish if the school was allowed to withhold a child’s results if their school fees were not up to date.
The department’s spokesman, Phumla Sekhonyane released the following statement:
“It is not departmental policy to withhold a pupil’s report card for fees owed.
“The payment of the schools fees should be an arrangement between the school’s governing body and the parent on how the fees will be paid.
“We have contacted the principal of Hoërskool Elsburg to investigate the claims.
“The principal has undertaken to meet with the mother of the pupil personally where she will be given the child’s report.”
The GCN then contacted the school, giving them an opportunity to respond to the claims made against them.
Anna-Marie Meyer, acting principal of Hoërskool Elsburg responded with the following statement:
“Due to the new CAPS policy, a principal must report to the parent about his/her child’s progress.
“We asked the parents to come and receive the report cards last Monday evening (we also told them that we would be available during the mornings for the rest of the week to address those who could not come last Monday).
“We appealed to the parents to pay their outstanding fees by writing numerous letters.
“When they came to receive the report cards we again appealed by asking them to pay something.
“Some parents were still unable to pay anything and some were able to settle their accounts.
“It is also policy that they must fill in a reply slip that they acknowledge when they are in arrears and that we will then hand them over for collection because they received three reminders.
“Parents will be responsible for all interest and costs involved.
“According to Article 39 and 40 of the South African School’s Act both parents are liable for the payment of school fees and the payment of school fees can be enforced by a process of law.
“School fees are, according to law, classified as statutory debt as published in the Government Gazette number 28864, Part D, 24(v) “Living expenses, inclusive of, but not limited to: (cc) school fees.
“So all we asked was to pay something, if they can, and/or to fill in the reply slip.
“We would never and did not refuse to give any report cards to parents who owe school fees.”
The mother was contacted and confirmed that she had been given her daughter’s report.
