DURBAN - Acting Education head in KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Barney Mthembu, has issued a stern warning to school principals who are withholding pupils' results for non-payment of school fees.
Mthembu was responding to a series of complaints by parents since last week who said their children's year-end results were withheld by schools because they had not paid fees in full.
The HOD on Wednesday vowed to charge principals for misconduct, saying principals know that the practise was illegal, adding he has just issued the circular to the school telling them to stop or face consequences.
“You just called while I am busy finishing the circular I am issuing in response to what you are raising. I wish to tell principals that withholding the pupils' results because of non-payment of school fees will constitute misconduct, and consequences management will be applied to those found guilty of this illegal practice,” said Mthembu.
DA MPL and member of the education portfolio committee, Dr Imran Keeka, wrote to education MEC Kwazi Mshengu last week, raising the same concern and asking him to intervene.
He told the Daily News on Wednesday that, since last week, he had been flooded with calls from parents who wanted help.
Keeka said the department needs to set an example and fire one principal for this practice so that others would stop doing it. He said there was no reason for schools to punish pupils for something beyond their control, adding instead, the school can deal with the parent or even go to court to attach the parent’s assets.
Although the problem was reported through the province, Keeka said the problem was prevalent in Phoenix and KwaDukuza, where most parents called him from.
Niren Kardev from KwaDukuza, whose niece is in grade 8 at Shakaskraal Secondary school, said the child did not get her report on Tuesday because she owed R350, which is a quarter of the fees required, saying the principal Sanjay Bodasingh refused to release the report.
Kardev said the child’s family broke up last year and the child had to come and live with him, adding that her father lost his job.
When contacted, the principal said he would call the Daily News back as he was still busy. By the time of publication, he failed to respond.
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