Paying school fees has proven to be difficult for parents lately as the number of school fee accounts in good standing declines. This as the latest School Survey conducted by TPN Credit Bureau, shows that more than 40% of school fee accounts were in arrears by the end of 2022.
In the Free State, the Department of Education agreed that parents have not been able to pay school fees and that this has added difficulties for the schools in the province. Spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, says parents have not been able to pay due to the various socio-economic reasons they are faced with, but Ndaba says parents are liable to pay their children’s school fees.
According to a survey conducted by TPN Credit Bureau, the most important source of income for 95% of private and 85% of public schools comes from school fees. Another one of their surveys, showed that at the end of 2022, only 62.57% of school fee accounts were in good standing compared to 63.75% at the end of 2021.
“If parents are unable to pay school fees in the said school, they must approach the school and apply for an exemption and if they are not happy with it, they are allowed to escalate it to the department,” said Ndaba.
Meanwhile parents from the Free State say they are being harassed with letters and summonses over failure to pay school fees.
Basil Manuel, the Executive Director of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA), says there are systems to be followed when parents cannot pay school fees.
“It could be that parents have not been paying, but there are systems that need to be followed, as we recognize that not all parents will be able to pay, even at fee paying schools”, Manuel said.
Manuel says there is a system in place because they know that not all parents can afford to pay for fees. He added that school fees are not compulsory in any type of school, even where people are made to sign documents, “if they can’t afford, they can apply for exemption,” adds Manuel.
“Another solution is that there are certain trade-offs that can be done, and people come and do things at the school. Every parent that can pay, must pay and those that cannot pay, a plan can be made,” he concluded.