Don’t penalise pupils for non-payment of school fees

Every South African child has a right to access quality education irrespective of his or her financial background.

The Department of Basic Education is committed to ensuring that no child is prevented from accessing a public school because of financial constraints, or is in any way discriminated against or has to face punitive measures imposed by a school owing to non-payment of fees.

However, the stark reality is that these stipulations are not always adhered to, with pupils often facing the ‘brunt’ or ‘punishment’ as a result of outstanding school fees.

A school fee is an agreed amount of money that parents pay to schools so that quality education of pupils can be funded.

The payment of fees is the sole responsibility of the parent and the financial obligation should in no way be passed onto the pupil.

In contradiction to the department’s regulations, there is still a tendency in some schools to withhold a pupil’s report card as a result of non-payment of school fees.

This unfair treatment not only victimises the pupil involved, but also indirectly reflects the financial status of the parents.

Some principals have taken it a step further.

A Cape Town headmaster for example last week published the names of pupils with outstanding school fees in a school newsletter distributed to all 1 211 pupils. The principal said he was ‘left with no choice but to name and shame pupils to teach parents a lesson. otherwise the school would never see the outstanding money’.

The department is clear on this matter. A pupil cannot be excluded from participation in any official school programme owing to the non-payment of school fees and a school may not hold back a pupil’s report card because the parent cannot afford to pay school fees.

But the lack of monitoring on these issues has given certain schools reason to act above the law.

A public school has the right to take legal action against a parent who does not pay school fees, but only after the exemption criteria has been applied and the parent is still liable to pay such fees.

Our pupils should not pay the price for matters they have no control of and the department must ensure stringent oversight.

As we approach the end of the 2014 academic year, every pupil has a right to obtain their year-end results without fear of prejudice and embarrassment.

In closing though, it must be pointed out that apart from the many parents who simply cannot make ends meet, there are many who live in luxury and simply refuse to pay school fees.

They should do the right thing.