Family’s furniture seized by school for non-payment of fees

SCHOOLS frustrated by parents failing to pay fees are turning to the courts to seize assets.

The family of a Pretoria High School for Girls pupil had their lounge suite‚ microwave‚ bed headboards‚ printer and fridge attached by a sheriff of the court last month.

This was as a result of the girl’s father not paying school fees.

“I owe school fees due to challenges I faced with my business‚ hence my financial position,” the father of the Grade 11 pupil‚ who did not want t be named to protect his child, said.

“That’s my only source of income. I was‚ however‚ in communication with the school throughout.”

He said he appeared in the Pretoria Central Magistrate’s Court‚ where the school’s lawyer said that they would not be able to make a payment arrangement with him‚ after reviewing his bank statements.

“The court adjourned the matter to June 21 when a financial inquiry and payment arrangement would be worked out,” the parent said.

“The school’s lawyer told us that everything would be put on hold until the next court hearing.”

The man said he was surprised to hear from a deputy sheriff on March 22‚ telling him he was at his home to take his property. “I told him there was a pending court matter and he told me to contact the school’s lawyer to give him further instructions,” the father said.

“But he was going to take the things because that’s the only instruction he had.”

He said he was sent back and forth between the lawyer‚ sheriff and the school‚ with no one able to stop the sheriff taking his property.

The school said it was not allowed to make media statements and that the matter has been escalated to the Gauteng Department of Education.

However, the department said it was unaware of the matter.

“Pretoria Girls High is a fee-paying school and parents have filled in binding contractual forms on which they have agreed to pay fees,” a spokesman said.

“Therefore‚ [it] is a contractual obligation between the school and the parents.”

I owe school fees due to challenges I faced with my business