Tensions ran high at Glenvista High School in the south of Johannesburg on Tuesday when angry parents and guardians clashed with the school principal over school reports which they claimed the institution had withheld.
This comes after the parents and guardians flocked to the school to demand the school’s principal, Dr Thabile Morgan, hand them their children’s reports.
According to parents, who preferred to remain anonymous, fearing that their children would be victimised, Morgan was hellbent on refusing to give them their children’s reports. She allegedly told them to pay the outstanding school fees first.
Reports withheld due to unpaid fees
“The principal is refusing to give us the reports of our kids as she said that we are owing the school. There is no law that allows the school to withhold our children’s school reports because of the debt we owe. She is doing wrong things and this is unlawful,” said an angry parent.
Another parent said that it was unethical for Morgan to punish the kidsfor the sins of their parents.
“What Mrs Morgan is doing is totally wrong and condemned. We came here in numbers to get our kids’ reports. But she is telling us that we should pay the money first. We don’t have that money at the moment and some of us are unemployed. This is a government school. She must understand that she is getting paid through tax payers’ money to do her job not to frustrate us,” said one parent.
Parents cite financial challenges
When asked why they were behind with school fees, the parents said that they had financial challenges.
However, Morgan poured cold water on the parents’ claims. She stated that they were well aware of the outstanding fees. And she accused the parents of intentionally causing drama based on their own doing.
“What I can tell you is that I have been speaking to the parents to pay their outstanding fees, but they refused. It’s a lie that I am refusing to give them reports of their kids. When I ask them to pay, they accuse me of being a difficult person. I did not bar any child from being in class.
“As we speak, all the learners are in classrooms learning despite challenges we are faced with. These parents do not want to sign an acknowledgement of debt [form]. And some of them owe the school fees for the past three years. They came here with political parties to toyi toyi and complain that the school is inconsiderate. They should just sign an acknowledgement of debt and also pay portions of the outstanding fees,” said Morgan.
She also said that it was difficult for the school to function while the kids do not have study material such as textbooks, among others.
Parents won’t sign debt acknowledgement form
“The money that they should pay also assist the school to buy learning materials which include text books. So if they are not paying they are also creating problems for the learners, who happen to be their kids as well. We are also parents here at the school and the needs of the learners come first. They should not put the blame on me for their failure to pay school fees. They know quite well that they owe the school and they should sign acknowledgement of debt letters. The parents do not want to pay school fees. We cannot stop learners from learning, but the parents should also do what is right,” said Morgan.
School governing body member, Thandazali Buthelezi, said the school was trying hard to resolve the impasse.
“Right now the learners are all together in classes with those who are registered and pupils who are not registered. This whole thing happens every year. The parents do not want to pay school fees,” said Buthelezi.
Sunday World has learned that the problem was brough by parents who work in government. They are accused of telling the school that they do not have money to pay school fees. And allegedly stated that the school belongs to the state, as it was not a private school.
Government worker parents fingered
“The parents who are causing chaos at the school are mostly working for the government. And they think that the school is a political party. They want to make the school ungovernable and create unnecessary tension with their actions,” said one of the teachers at the school.
When Sunday World asked the parents about their school fees debts, they stated that they had financial challenges. They stated that some of them are not working.
“It’s not that I don’t want to pay for the outstanding school fees. I am unemployed. And I can’t let my child be deprived of an education due to my unemployed status. If I had the job and income I could have dealt with this matter a long time ago,” said one parent.
Another parent stated that the state of economy in the country was the cause of her woes. She said she was willing to pay even half of the money should she get the money.
Gauteng spokesperson for education Steve Mabona clarified the government’s stance. He said there is no school that is allowed to withhold school reports or results. However, he said that the parents must make necessary arrangements to pay their debt.
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