Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo
22 January 2024
January is a back-to-school month for all learners in South Africa; often, most parents are frustrated by the stationary requirements.
While parents have to deal with the headache of buying stationery and school uniform, some of the no-fee schools allegedly demand reams of typek per child.
Some learners from schools within Govan Mbeki Municipality did not even get their final reports due to failure to pay money for casual clothing days and when they returned back to school on Wednesday, 15 January 2025 were told to stay at home until they pay last year money for casual clothing.
Seskhona Media managed to speak to some of the parent of learners who were turned back home. “My children did not wear casual clothing as I cannot afford to pay that amount; instead, they opted to wear their school uniform but still I am told to pay,” said one of the parent. Her children are still at home while she awaits their grant money so that she can pay.
“We do not understand why our children are required to pay for casual days because they wear their uniforms. The schools withheld our children’s reports at the end of the year. Now it’s January, and we are also required to bring reams of typek which we cannot afford,” another parent whose child was turned back for not having a ream of typek added.
Seskhona Media journalists went to one of the alleged schools to confirm what the parents said and were told that the SGB and parents agreed on contributing R40 per child for casual clothing yearly and an extra R20, which will help purchase furniture at the school since there is a shortage.
Mpumalanga Department of Education was contacted for a comment and said no school is allowed to return learners who did not contribute to casual clothing days or for not having printing papers. It was further mentioned by the department that all schools receive budgets from the department and as such should an agreement be reached between parents and the SGB for parents to contribute to the school, those who do not afford should not be prevented from attending school.
One of the parents whose children were turned back also told Seskhona Media that the Mpumalanga Department of Education contacted her to get her side of the story and also informed her to take the children back to school.