Makgetse Secondary School in Temba Hammaskraal has been ordered to stop collecting donations or fees from students and to make arrangements to issue matric results statement to students.
A distressed parent on Monday 08 January 2018 said parents were refused entry into the school when they went to collect their children’s matric results and were told to settle their outstanding donations or fees.
Parents were told to come back on Monday 15 January 2019 to collect matric statements because the school was closed until then.
The Gauteng Education Department responded to the pleas of parents and said the department is to comply with the directives of its policy, which states amongst others that withholding learners’ examination statements or results is illegal and unconstitutional.
“We have pointed to the management of the school that compliance with this particular policy is not a matter of discretion but has to be implemented without prejudice,” said Gauteng Education Department Spokesperson, Mr Steve Mabona.
He said Makgetse Secondary School serves the poor section of the community of Temba and is classified a no-fee school.
The school has denied allegations of refusing to issue Matric Statements due to non-payment of school fees or contributions and further states that the contributions were voluntarily agreed to by parents and no one is obliged to pay the funds.
Mr Mabona said Makgetse Secondary School receives an annual allocation from the department in terms of SASA, sec. 21. Part of this allocation is expected to cover the costs of all the stationery required by each learner. The department has instructed the school to stop the practice of expecting learners to pay the previously mentioned R5 towards the purchase of printing paper.
The management and staff of the school are officially on leave until 15 January 2018. Matric results were issued on 05 January 2018. Learners were also expected to collect their statements on that day.
“The management of the school was encouraged to make some arrangements for the learners or parents to collect their statements during this week (week-ending 12/01/2018) for necessary arrangements to register at tertiary institutions,” said Mr Mabona.
Makgetse has topped all the schools in Hammanskraal with a 95.9% pass rate.
