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Princess High School in dire straits

Government fails school two years in a row.

Parents who attended a meeting at Princess High School on 12 October say they are “disturbed” by the information they obtained.

It would seem that the Department of Education has failed to pay over to the school the exemption amounts (a grant) for the past two years. (This year the school allegedly should have received about R4,2 million.) This has put the school under major financial pressure and parents were informed of the immediate problems facing the school, which allegedly include:

• no funds to purchase the photocopy paper needed to print the exam papers for the November exams

• no funds to purchase toilet paper for the school

• the school’s municipal account being in arrears. (Johannesburg Water has disconnected the water to the school. The school managed to have this reconnected but is unsure of how long there will be water and electricity.)

• a number of teachers and ground staff employed by the school governing body (SGB) being told that by the end of October the school would not be able to retain their services

Parents are taking it on themselves to collect necessities such as toilet paper and photocopying paper.

The principal of the school, only known as Mrs Powell, confirmed that all the statements were true, except one. She did not want to point out which one. She said that she could not comment and referred the Record to the Chairperson of the SGB, Thabo Sholemasho, but the number given does not exist.

The Record is awaiting comment from the Department of Education to support the claims that were made.

 

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