Cape Town - While matric ball season is in full swing, concerns have been raised over schools using the occasion to settle scores with parents who have not paid school fees by excluding their children from the once-in-a-lifetime event.
Bellville resident and parent, Andre Jeftha, said the matter came to his attention after his daughter came home with a message from her school, stating that learners who did not pay up their fees would not be included in the event.
“I then researched the matter and realised what the school was doing was illegal according to the Schools Act, to exclude children and to discuss matters like this with the child and not the parent.
“Thankfully I approached the school, we had a meeting and we were able to resolve the matter in a respectable way,” he said.
“But this is a huge problem, many schools do it, in some cases they even cancel the entire event and it is wrong.
“The matric ball attendance should not be determined by whether school fees are up to date or not.”
The matric ball was usually one of the highlights of any child’s school career, he emphasised, adding that was why communicating these “threats” of exclusion with a child was a “tactic” used to indirectly pressure parents.
“I know schools say, ‘how can parents afford the event but not the fees?’, but the truth is the entire family normally chips in to make the day special for the child. My siblings help my daughter with the car, the dress etc.”
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) confirmed that Jeftha was correct.
“A school cannot (prevent) a learner from attending the matric function as a result of the non-payment of school fees.
“But, it must be stated, that it can (be) and is very upsetting, where applicable, for schools to see parents spending large amounts of money on matric dance tickets, dresses, flashy cars and parties, when they have not paid their school fees, or have not applied for fee compensation.
“School fees contribute towards the quality of education at the school – and therefore, the non-payment of such fees, in instances whereby a parent does have the means to do so, can be upsetting for the school management,” WCED spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond said.
“We advise the parent(s) to resolve the matter relating to the outstanding school fees amicably with the school as soon as possible before the school triggers their legislative entitlement.
“However, learners cannot be denied from attending matric functions as a result of non-payment.”
Cape Times