Lockdown: Mokopane and Mookgophong schools ask parents to pay their school fees
Principals and private school owners are complaining due to parents that stopped paying fees because of the early closure of educational and aftercare centres due to the national lockdown.
MOKOPANE – The governing bodies of Laerskool Krugerpark, Hoërskool Piet Potgieter and Hoërskool Hans Strijdom in Mookgophong released circulars on social media recently, saying parents remain responsible for their school fees as set out in their contracts despite the schools being closed. In these letters, the school also explained that their responsibilities do not end when the school closes.
Private aftercare centres also lodged complaints stating that parents stopped paying, saying they had to make alternative arrangements for their children when the schools were ordered to close on 18 March by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Some school owners who wish to remain anonymous said that parents claimed that they paid for a service that was not rendered to them during this time and felt that it was not necessary to make these payments.
Some of the private schools only received 25% of their total income thus far. The main concern regarding school fees that are not being paid is that schools still have responsibilities towards their rent, water and electrical bills as well as their staff that need to receive their salaries.
“This is one of the most stressful times that I have ever experienced,” said one of the owners as she explained that her concerns stretch further than just the 21-day lockdown period. She stated that once the schools open again, there won’t be enough funds to build up the food supply that is needed for the month.
The biggest fear among the privately-owned schools is that non-compliance from parents could lead to some schools needing to close their doors.
