Head teachers warned against sending OVCs back
MANZINI – The Ministry of Education and Training has warned schools head teachers against sending OVCs back home for school fees or top-up fees.
The warning was issued by Under Secretary (US) in the Ministry of Education and Training, Nanikie Mnisi, following an incident which happened at Lozitha National High School, where some orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs) were sent home for owing top-up fees.
One of the affected OVCs came with a guardian to this publication’s offices in Manzini, with the aim of seeking assistance from members of the public to pay the top-up-fee. The learner said she was registered as an OVC because her mother was suffering from chronic disease and she had to go to a hospital in South Africa at least once a month, for treatment.
Disabled
She added that her father had a disability and he walked with the aid of crutches. She said, all along, her mother used to ask some of her relatives to assist her in paying the top-up-fee. She was sent back home for owing top-up-fee on Wednesday.
The pupil’s guardian said the mother of the child paid some money when schools opened, as a deposit for the top-up fee of E2 400, but on Wednesday, when she was sent back home; she was given a receipt of the balance.
Therefore, they appealed to members of the public to assist her in paying the E1 900, so that she could go back to class.
Meanwhile, the Lozitha National High School Head teacher, Joseph Mathabela, could not be reached for comment. When he was contacted this week, he said he was driving. However, when this publication called later on, his mobile phone rang unanswered.
A questionnaire was also sent to the head teacher via a text message, but he had not responded by the time of compiling this report. He was asked if the school had applied from the ministry to charge top-up fees and if the application was approved.
On the other hand, the US in the Ministry of Education, who had recently talked about the matter, said the conduct of some head teachers of sending OVCs back home for to-up fees was wrong. She said OVCs belonged to chiefdoms and government, in particular the Deputy Prime Minister’s (DPM) Office.
Therefore, she said head teachers were not supposed to send OVC home for owed fees. Instead, she said they should approach the ministry.
Issues
She added that since there were a number of issues which they wanted to address with head teachers, they would be hosting workshops for them and part of the things they would educate them about, would be OVC and top-up fees.
“I would like to warn head teachers against sending OVCs back for top-up fees, instead they should come to the ministry,” the US said.
She admitted that they were aware that the OVC or free primary education (FPE) grant paid by government, was not enough, but there were procedures to be followed, thus she encouraged them to approach the ministry.
It is worth noting that recently, the Minister of Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, also issued a statement to head teachers that government’s plea to them was that they should not send OVCs back home for owed school fees. Instead, he said they should approach the Ministry of Education and Training or the DPM’s Office.