Desperate parents falling victim to ‘fly-by-night’ schools – GDE

While desperate parents queue outside schools every day looking for admissions for their children, the Gauteng
department of education (GDE) closed down more than 20 unregistered schools last term and urged parents not to fall prey to illegal schools.

A parent, Mmashadi Khunoana, said she had been going to different schools to beg them for placement for her child, who was starting Grade one. She said while she was still waiting for the department to place her daughter, she was also desperate to secure a space.

“I’ve been looking for space everywhere, any place that I can find, that has at least reasonable schools fees, I can take it. I just don’t want my child to be delayed,” Khunoana said as she held back her tears.

Khunoana said although she had appealed to the initial school which her child was placed at, she also tried her luck with the recently reopened late applications on 12 January, but was also trying her luck in other schools for a last-minute opening.

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“At this point I do not have a choice, I have been waiting for admission for some time now and while I’m waiting for the department’s response I’m also practically school hunting,” she added.

GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said with schools reopening and many pupils still unplaced, desperate parents were falling victim to “fly-by-nights” and they wasted money registering their children in unaccredited schools.

“We want to appeal to the public to report such schools, because those bogus schools delay the education of a child,” he added.

Mabona said the department was closing all unregistered schools and was not waiting for the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa to help the department close down some of the illegal private schools.

“If you don’t comply, we close,” Mabona said. Parents could report those schools on the department hotlines: 060 891-0310 and 060-891-0324, and also a toll free number 0800-000-789. Mabona said the department had just under 300 pupils who still needed placements, which excluded late applications.

– reitumetsem@citizen.co.za