Data collection currently ongoing - REO
MSchool head teachers remain haunted by the minister’s directive and unable to properly run their schools as parents have failed in their responsibilities to pay school fees.
The Minister of Education and Training, Lady Mabuza, issued a directive in April whereby, she made it clear that it was wrong for head teachers to send school fees owing children home.
She warned all head teachers who were to send owing children home that they would face seri- ous consequences.
The minister had reminded them that they did not have the prerogative to chase away learners in schools, but it was only the director of Education in the country who was allowed to do so.
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“The ministry is totally against such an administrative practice, I, therefore, earnestly remind head teachers not to interrupt the learners’ attendance at school as this deprives them of their right to education,” she said. The head teachers alleged that they viewed the directive as a failed solution as it was not applicable from the onset but only meant to appeal to the masses.
They claimed that the logic of
- Hhohho Regional Education Officer (REO) Thuli Langwenya says she is aware of the challenges that are faced by some schools.
Langwenya said those schools that reported were engaged and assigned to collect the necessary data that will be forwarded to the Ministry of Education
Head teachers are challenged by the high number of defaulters of school fees as parents are failing to pay school fees for pupils. This is not to suggest these pupils are owing their school fees.
the directive was without any strategic backing as there were no resources availed to fulfil the obligation of the directive for them to effectively run their schools.
They decried the minister’s directive, stating it was misleading and irresponsible, as parents responded by sending their children without any payment of school fees. Disgruntled head teachers further said while the directive was made even payment for government-sponsored pupils’ fees remittance continued to be very late to nurse the situation in schools.
Meanwhile, several head teachers contacted by Eswatini News confirmed that several pupils and Training.
She said the issue of school fees was a growing concern, but that should not impact negatively pupils’ access to education. Langwenya said school head teachers are currently collecting data for pupils and their parents or guardians for purposes of solving the current challenges. have continued to fail to their schools as obligated.
The head teachers all cited the same challenges with parents only paying the deposit and never returning to pay towards completing their school fees for their pupils.
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They disclosed that running their schools has been a challenge throughout the year considering that the little funds available from parents who paid had to carry the other pupil’s needs yet they were limited.
The head teachers further complained that another challenge was when even the government, which is a parent, took her own time to remit her school fees in
She further said as a region they were working towards ensuring that pupils are not affected by the challenges of parents who are unable to pay.
She said they were collecting data to ensure that they dealt with the parents and guardians directly on the issue of unpaid school fees. respect of orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) and the free primary education (FPE). The head teachers further disclosed that the situation was now dire.
Malindza High School headteacher Thulasiswe Zwane said it was not a secret that there are challenges with many pupils who have not paid their school fees. Zwane said parents have put a strain on the operation of the school as about E500 000 was owed to the school.
“That amount will accumulate as debts that were made by the school with the hope that parents are now attracting interest,” said Zwane. He said for the school to continue impacting knowledge to its learners, they
“Data will be collected and shared with the Ministry of Education and the ministry will give directives on what will be done to solve the current impasse,” said Langwenya
The REO on the issue of the Ministry of Education being responsible for the current challenge of parents failing to pay the school fees said that could be a debatable argument.
She said currently, the best thing would be to solve the problem at hand the schools are facing
purchased books on credit.
He said schools had to manoeuvre around strategies to get parents to live up to their responsibility to no avail, which they ended up allowing pupils to go home and come back when their parents have paid the school fees. “Reaching this quarter of the year has been a miracle considering the debts incurred trying to have the school function as if everything was normal,” said Zwane. The head teacher said it was not a secret that the minister’s statement had been influential to other parents not to go the extra mile on their responsibility to pay their children’s school fees.
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He said the statement was a challenge such that they had to devise on a strategy not to be seen as directly defying the minister’s directive.
He said they had to force parents to pay school deposits as part of accepting them at the beginning of the school calendar year. “The deposits kept us afloat to other necessities of the school, but immediately they were admitted parents have been silent,” said Zwane.
Zwane further disclosed that the school has been running through those who had paid their school fees which was causing a strain.
Many high school pupils have confirmed that they spent the past week at home after they were expelled from school for owing school fees.
than to point fingers.
“Parents have a responsibility to pay for their children’s school fees to assist schools to function properly,” said Langwenya.
Meanwhile, the REO said the procedure was known; head teachers had to report to the RE office on.
“We have been working on the issue, pupils must remain in class while the right procedures are being followed by head teachers” added Langwenya.