Goya warns �naughty� school heads
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday December 11, 2014 19:51
“In my ministry, we are worried that we have tried to do several announcements and notices...but we are not winning. My ministry maintains that no child should be excluded from continuing with schooling or be denied certificates/testimonials on account of debt owed to the school,” Goya said.
He said all arrears resulting from failure to pay school fees, loss of textbooks and other debts incurred by students should be taken up with parents. He added that when a student is proceeding from junior to senior secondary school, their names and all other information relating to the debt should be forwarded to the senior secondary school they have been admitted to.
Goya said it remains the responsibility of both the school heads and regional education directors to follow up with parents to collect monies owed by students.
“The ministry has directed school heads through directives and savingrams to take heed of this issue and desist from denying students to obtain (sic) their certificates/testimonials.” He pleaded with MPs to inform their constituents about the ministry’s decision. The decision was welcomed by MPs across the political divide.
However, Wynter Mmolotsi said the issue should be emphasised by the ministry in all regional education meetings because parents are always complaining about certain school heads who are still refusing with their children’s certificates because they owe fees.
“This issue is very serious because students do get frustrated when school heads refuse with their certificates. Some Form Fives do not have certificates because they owe books or fees for school development,” he said.