An Eastern Cape teenager has written to the office of the presidency seeking help after he and his younger brother were financially excluded from one of the most prestigious schools in the province.
The grade 11 pupil from Kingswood College, an independent school in Makhanda, has been sitting at home with his grade 8 sibling for more a month.
This was after the elite school terminated their enrolment contracts because of nonpayment of fees, with the arrears totalling more than R500,000.
This week, Mzwakhe Nkambule, a community outreach officer in minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele’s office, urged Kingswood to reconsider its stance.
In a letter to the school’s headmaster, Leon Grove, seen by DispatchLIVE, Nkambule confirmed receiving the pupil’s written plea for assistance.
Nkambule points out that a pupil “cannot be excluded from participation in any official school programmes due to nonpayment of school fees by their parents”, nor may a school “retain a learner’s report”.
“The Schools Act and the SA constitution list a number of responsibilities that both the state and independent schools have towards learners applying to or attending independent schools.
“Taken as a whole, these responsibilities seek to ensure that all independent schools meet minimum standards, and that the rights of learners who choose to attend independent schools are protected.
“We urge the school to consider that a contract is between the learners’ parent and the school, therefore the learners’ right to learn should not be violated particularly during the course of the year.”
On Friday, Kingswood said the payment of fees was essential for the sustainability of the school, and that it made every effort “to resolve financial matters timeously”.
On April 8, the school sent letters to the parents of the brothers regarding their outstanding school fees.
According to the letters, the parents owed the school R509,366.34 in total.
“Failure to make payment by this date [April 20] will unfortunately result in the termination of your enrolment contract effective April 30 2022.
“You would then need to reapply for admission once you have settled the outstanding fees in full.”
The boys’ mother, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her children's privacy, said they had made a payment of R133,000 towards the arrears in January.
However, they were unable to make any further payments because they had run into financial difficulties.
“What they did they kept on adding interest of 5k on each account,” she said.
On June 2, the family was issued a notice from the school that the boys’ enrolment had been terminated.
“Kingswood College has had to make this difficult decision due to nonpayment of fees,” the notice reads.
“Should your financial situation change, and you are able to pay the outstanding fees a new application for enrolment will have to be submitted along with the payment of the outstanding fees.”
In his written response to Nkambule, Grove said the school was aware of the rules and responsibilities, as set by legislation.
He also denied that the school was withholding reports.
“As this is a matter that affects all independent schools, might I suggest that you contract the legal department at Isasa (Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa), of whom we are a member, for more clarity and precedent around this matter.”
Nkambule responded, saying: “It would be great that the [pupils are] back in class while Kingswood College informs the Isasa legal department to liaise with my good self about your legal standing.”
DispatchLIVE reached out to Kingswood on Friday for comment on Nkambule’s letter.
“A letter was received from a community outreach officer in the presidency regarding the exclusion of pupils due to nonpayment of fees,” the school’s marketing and branding manager, Steph Bouwer, said.
“As an independent school, Kingswood College relies on the payment of fees for the sustainability of the school and makes every attempt to resolve financial matters timeously.”
Nkambule, meanwhile, said his office would give Kingswood time to liaise with Isasa.
“At this point we are giving them [Kingswood College] time to respond to us.
“If we don’t get a response we’ll then ask the department of education to intervene,” he said.
The boys’ mother, who lives in East London, said they had been at Kingswood for more than six years.
“We were told on May 4 that the children were not allowed at the school until they settle their outstanding fees.
“Yes I know we are in arrears. Earlier this year we paid over R133,000 and committed ourselves to settle the outstanding amount.
“The issue is that at the moment our financial status does not allow to settle over R500,000, which is [the] outstanding amount,” the parent said.
She said in total the family had paid more than R2m to the school since the boys were enrolled at primary level.
“All my children are now at high school. It is really not easy to change them because the school’s curriculum is not easy for them to be changed to another school if they are at high school.
“If they were at lower classes, we would have changed them.”
She added that the boys were extremely stressed and that she had only found out through email correspondence that the older child had reached out to the presidency.
She said the school previously had a flexible arrangement for parents in arrears to pay outstanding fees.
“There is new finance officer at the school who is not prepared to listen to us. We have made commitments that we will settle the outstanding amount to no avail,” she said.
Education MEC Fundile Gade, said the department needed more information to respond comprehensively.
“We will have to respond in writing on this one because there are a number of issues that are at play here.
“Why did the parent choose a private school over a public school?
“The problem is that Kingswood also has rights and the child has rights.
“The parent signed a contract with the school and undertook to pay.
“This is not going to be an easy thing.
“Both parties might be at fault on this one. Hence I am saying we will have to respond in writing, [after] checking ... legislation,” Gade said.
Isasa executive director Lebogang Montjane said on Friday the association had no record of a fee dispute at Kingswood College.
“As an independent schools association, Isasa does not get involved in matters of fees owed. Such matters are between the school and the parents who signed a contact to settle all fees due.”
DispatchLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.