Mom in distress after private school ejects daughter

A grade 11 pupil is missing out on the first term of the 2021 academic year at Verney College in Rosettenville, a private school south of Johannesburg, because his mother owes over R80,000 in school fees.

The school’s attorneys sent an e-mail to the parents of the 16-year-old, informing them that she will only be allowed at the school once the amount was paid or she will face legal action. “We regret to inform you that the amount outstanding, which pertains amounts owed for 2020 and 2019 must be paid in full before legal action can be stayed and before the school will consider re-registering your daughter…” read the letter from the attorneys.

The child’s mother, who works as a pre-school teacher, said she had been facing financial difficulties.

“I had made arrangements to pay the school in monthly installments but my situation worsened last year as I had no salary for five months due to lockdown restrictions.

“I don’t want the school to punish my child because I’m unable to pay. It pains me to see her stressing all day. At the moment, I am trying to raise the required amount but it is taking time and meanwhile she is losing out on school work,” said the mother who can’t be named to protect the identity of the child.

When asked why can’t she take her child to a government school, the mother said she had applied at Glenvista High School but was told there was no space.

Verney College owner Aldina Verney said they had reached out to the parents of affected pupils on a number of times. “The mother of the said child owes us money from 2018 and we allowed the child back all these years as the parents made promises to pay. During the lockdown, there were parents who were genuinely battling but they managed to pay the little they had.”

The school’s attorney Ian Mclaren said Verney College is a private school that receives no subsidy from government and as such is solely reliant on school fees for its survival.

“In terms of current legislation, a school may not expel a learner during a current school year. In September last year, the parents were given notices that the [affected] learners would not be re-enrolled for the 2021 school year and that they have had more than adequate time to make alternate arrangements.

“However, the parents of the learner have failed to pay school fees for the past two years and also reneged on numerous promises to do so. At the present juncture, an amount of R82,000 is due to the school,” he said.

Mclaren said the pupil’s parents have abused the system and have also obtained almost three years of education with no payment. “If there is any prejudice to the learner it is the fault of her parent as Verney College has been more than accommodating.”

Two-year fees debt now sitting at R80,000, says Verney College