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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This article is heavily skewed in favour of the SGB & Dr Morgan.
A learner cannot be excluded from participation in any official school programmes due to non-payment of school fees by the parent. A school may not retain a learner’s report because the parent cannot afford to pay school fees.
Firsthand knowledge gained through our activist organization TABANSI (the rights of students and parents at public schools) The management of this SGB is dubious. We have been at odds for many years with the current principal, who avoids confronting their management and SGB members.
1. Refusal to distribute reports at term and year end 2025 when a parent account is in arrears for whatever reason.
2. The school has illegally demanded registration fees / upfront school fees not giving the parents their right to apply for exemption even in 2026.
3. The school has in writing / messages to parents instructed them to remove their children to non-fee-paying school.
4. The school has refused the parents to apply for exemptions and refused to hand the parent the application forms timeously to apply.
5. The SGB demanded end of 2025 for parents to loan money to pay fees which should have been exempted be it full or partial.
6. Many of the parents are SASSA child grant recipients and there fore qualify for 100% automatic exemption.
7. The children are victimised 2026.- The week before the academic year commenced the Matric where already attending class – a number of these learners were sent home due to not having a report (not handed out end 2025) and parents’ inability to pay the fees.
8. We have parents who for several years has requested the exemption applications but have been refused.
9. Schools ignore appeal applications.
10. We have firsthand experience in being ghosted by this schools Principal (Dr Thabile Morgan and her SGB members) I have spoken to a SGB member who is notorious for her rude demeanour which included derogatory remarks to myself when challenged on the legislation and regulations to school fees. Learner rights to the report and placement in class. Including showing parents middle finger in meeting.
11. Most of the time, parent-school communication is unstable, which is made worse by staff attitudes.
12. Many a parent has reported the SGB and the Principal to various departments of education and no disciplinary action is taken.
WHO IS PROTECTING THE SCHOOL STAFF??
– they are acting illegally with criminal intent, by refusing and stopping and education of a child.
In conclusion, the SGB does not carry out the mandate that they were elected to. (South African Schools Act, the Republic of South Africa’s Constitution, the Children’s Act, and other laws pertaining to admission and school fees) The Department of Education, including Circuit Managers and Circuit Directors, has gagged anyone who intervenes on behalf of the learners and their parents. Who appears to be in a group that supports the behaviours of the school’s employees and SGB.
As at the 19 JANUARY 2026 there were learners still at home.
If the Department of Education wants to transfer children due to fees unpaid for whatever reason, (whose parents struggle financially and qualify for protected education) and ignore the parents request for application for exemption of fees.
1. Supply reliable and safe transportation for the learner to a school more likely 25+km from residence.
2. Reimburse or supply uniforms and stationery for the new school.
3. Place the learner in an equally equipped school to provide the education as required (science labs, proper infrastructure, teachers who are qualified etc. )
4. The Constitution is clear that the DoE must ensure all children access quality, non-discriminatory education. The Act makes schooling compulsory for children aged 6 to 15, or until Grade 9, requiring provincial departments to ensure sufficient school capacity for all learners. Members of the Executive Council (MECs) are legally obliged to ensure enough school places exist within their province. Mandates the inclusion of vulnerable learners to reduce dropout rates and remove barriers to learning
5. Schools must address exemption criteria for needy parents, and that schools can’t deny admission for non-payment. The resolution must include f (equitable criteria) to grant total, partial, or conditional exemptions for parents unable to pay. Parents are generally liable for fees unless exempted, but the Act protects learners from being denied education.
6. No Admission Refusal:
A learner cannot be refused admission or excluded from activities due to non-payment of fees.
School fees may not include registration fees, administration or other fees. The school may not charge further fees for additional subjects chosen by learners from the school programme.
This article is so far from the truth!
Reports were withheld, no acknowledgement of debt was offered
None of the parents I interacted with work in government
The principle ignored multiple requests for meetings
Parents arranged DBE to be present, Principle called to cancel DBE presence
Children without reports were removed from classes
This is the only government high school in the area, and Glenvista High is a far cry from the school it used to be. This principal does what whatever she feels like whether lawful or not and needs to be held accountable for her actions