LOCKDOWN: Parents ask should they still be paying school fees?

In consideration of the lockdown extension, parents are still asking whether or not they are still liable for paying the full amount of school fees.

In a previous interview spokesperson, Elijah Mahlangu had stated the days lost would be accommodated when the school opened. This is when kids would miss a week or so of classroom time. To date they have lost 6-week’s worth of school. Some parents have been able to do some school work received from the schools. Some families have not been this lucky.

Regardless of this, parents are still urged to pay their school fees are still receiving reminder texts and invoices.

Also read: Should parents still pay the full school fees in light of the shutdown?

A spokesperson of the Western Cape Education Department told IOL news that “many schools rely on fees to pay SGB staff”. This is why parents must pay their fees “where possible”.

“The school is not missing a beat when it comes to the collection of fees”, one mom, with a child in private school, stated. “They gave us a 10% discount, but some families are not receiving any income at all, so do they go into areas?”, she asked.

Isasa’s executive director Lebogang Montjane told Timeslive that the lawyers have advised that parents are still liable for school fees, even if they are learning remotely. Montjane stated that schools are still expected to continue servicing the parents.

In return, parents are expected to continue paying their fees.

Also read: Possible recovery plans by the education department parents need to think about

Advtech is also standing by the decision that fees are meant to be paid during the lockdown. Curro’s spokesperson told Timeslive that because education support is being offered to parents, “billing will also continue as per contractual agreements”.

According to Timeslive, St John’s College in Johannesburg is the one school that is willing to enter into discussions with parents whose accounts are in good standing. They are also cutting costs where they can.

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