
Several learners were turned away empty-handed on Tuesday when they tried to fetch books and stationery from their school Jafta Mahlangu Secondary in Mamelodi West in preparation for the opening of the schools on Wednesday.
This as their parents have failed to pay the so-called donation which amounts to R300.
Parents whose children were not given books and stationary feel aggrieved that teachers at the school have insulted them, saying they spent all their money on alcohol during the festive season and didn’t think about the fact that come January, they will have to pay the R300 donation before their kids can be allowed to attend classes at the school.
The affected parents say they were told that they will have to stay with their kids at home until they as parents are able to pay the said donation.
The parents say they were advised by the school’s officials to go and borrow money from loan sharks (mashonisa).
One of the aggrieved parents told Tshwane Talks that although parents agreed that they have to pop out a donation, there was no exact date set for the payment of the donation.
“We are surprised that our children were not given books and stationery as we parents have not yet paid the said donation and that we must make arrangements as to how we are going to pay the school the donation, failing which our children won’t be allowed to attend the school,” said a parent who identified herself only as Gontse.
“In all honesty, we don’t have the money for the donation at the moment so it would be reasonable if we are maybe allowed to pay it in installments of maybe R50 or R150 every month,” she said.
According to the parents, even new learners who want to do Grade 8 at Jafta Mahlangu Secondary were not given books and stationery until they paid the donation.
“I am a guardian of two learners at the school, one is in Grade 10 and the other is in Grade 11 and although I can be allowed to make arrangements to pay later for one child, the school insists that I must pay immediately for the second child,” she said.
Another parent Ruby Shirinda told Tshwane Talks that she was allowed to make payment arrangements for two of her children but was prevented from making payment arrangements for her third child, who she has adopted because the mother is not of sound mind.
Shirinda told Tshwane Talks that she is worried that her child would be victimised because she as a parent dared to point out to teachers that donation is not compulsory and that it is only those who can afford to pay it who may do so.
“I know this fact for sure because y have been as SGB member at other schools over the years, what they are doing at Jafta Mahlangu is wrong and even the Department of Education won’t condone this and since my child’s name was marked with a tick after I raised my opposition to the donation issue, I am afraid that the school staff is going to target him and maybe also failed him at the end of the year,” fumed Shirinda.
“All that I want is for children to be given books and stationery and attend school and we as parents shall later engage the school regarding the donation,” she said.
Another parent said she has a Grade 10 child at the school but doesn’t have money for the donation as no one is employed in her household and they depend on grants for a living.
She wants to know what the Department of Education’s stance is on the issue of “forced donations.”
Mavis Baloyi told Tshwane Talks that she is taking care of two children at the school; one is hers and the other is her brother’s.
“I have made arrangements to pay for my child but was prevented from making arrangements for my brother’s child so I don’t know what I will do because my brother is a drug addict who spends all his money on drugs and won’t pay the said donation,” said Baloyi.
The parents said they are not refusing to pay the donation nut the problem is they don’t have money to do so.