School fee increases determined by SGB
Concerned parents have queried the increase of school fees for 2016.
One parent says a local school in Springs is increasing its fees by 12% and feels the cost of education is getting too expensive.
Phumla Sekhonyane, spokesman for the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), says the increase does not apply to all schools.
“The fee increments in schools are determined on the basis of needs of each school,” she says.
She adds that the fee amount is determined by the School Governing Body (SGB), which compiles a draft budget and presents it at an Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Parents adopt the budget at this meeting and agree to the increase in school fees.
Parents are invited to peruse the details of the budget and are also given an opportunity to ask questions.
“The school does not base school fees on what other schools are requesting, as fees are solely based on the needs of the school,” says Sekhonyane.
The following are cited as some of the reasons for increases in school fees:
- Municipality bills have increased by 17%
- Bad debt
- School fees of learners who apply for subsidies amount to an approximate R3-million and only R660 738 is received by the GDE to compensate
- Textbooks to the value of about R450 000 need to be purchased, the GDE only provides about R330 000.
- The school may have to purchase a bus to transport learners, particularly for excursions.
- The school may also pay salaries to SGB appointed educators to keep class sizes manageable, which benefits each learner.
Veritas College’s principal, Terry Holland, says they have not held their AGM yet, but suspect that the increase will be around 6% for 2016.
André French, principal of Springs Boys’ High School, says their increase will be 10% and adds that Springs schools ask half of what schools in other areas ask and still offer the same and perform well.
René Theron, principal of Laerskool Werda, says there is no increase for Grade R pupils at the school and only a R30 increase for the primary school pupils.
“We do the best to our ability to look after the children and not charge astronomical amounts, my staff understand this and they are excited for the new year,” she says.
