Unpaid fees put graduation dreams on hold

A YOUNG woman’s dream of graduating from college had to be put on hold since she has not received her matric certificate – three years after completing school.

The 23-year-old woman’s father, Innocent Mchunu, has been working tirelessly to obtain the original matric certificate from Richem Secondary School, in time for his daughter’s graduation in Pretoria next month.

Mchunu said his efforts came to a standstill because the school refused to hand out the certificate until a payment arrangement for outstanding school fees has been made.

‘When my wife passed away, I sent my daughter to boarding school. After some time, she did not like it and wanted to come home. I told her it would be safer for her to be at the school.

‘She eventually took me to court and said her mother’s sisters would be responsible for her and pay her school fees.

‘I agreed to step down as her guardian. Now, three years after she matriculated, she cannot graduate because she does not have her original certificate. Her guardian is unemployed and could not pay the fees, which amount to more than R22 000,’ Mchunu said.

The former teacher said he is currently unemployed and undergoing dialysis treatment and simply cannot afford to settle the bill.

‘The dispute should be between the legal guardian and the school, but I don’t want this to affect my daughter’s future.

The Department of Education is clear on the issue – schools should not withhold certificates because of unpaid fees.
Despite this, KZN Education Department spokesperson, Kwazi Mthethewa, said unpaid fees still posed problems that were crippling schools.

‘At the end of the day, parents can engage with the schools and governing bodies if they cannot afford to pay school fees. We cannot keep having a situation of parents refusing to pay up.’

Richem Secondary School Principal, Sifiso Duncan, told the ZO that the school was more than happy to assist, as long as someone agreed to foot the bill for the unpaid fees.

‘Since I started work at this school in 2018, unpaid school fees have reached R3.4 million. Just last year the matric class’s outstanding debt was R625 000.

‘The governing body is putting pressure on us to get that money, so all I am saying is that someone, either the girl’s father or guardian, needs to make an arrangement with the school to take responsibility for the debt.’

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