While the cost of living rises and inflation soars, salaries do not always increase enough to keep up with these expenses. This has resulted in many parents not being able to make any payments towards their child’s school fees in 2022. Many of those who are paying have had to take out loans in order to cover the costs, which results in increasing debt.
The most recent survey conducted by TPN Credit Bureau revealed that 25% of parents did not pay anything towards their children's school fees in 2022.
While there are many South African families desperately needing financial assistance in order to afford their child’s schooling, other parents' financial priorities appear to lie elsewhere.
CEO of School-Days, Paul Esterhuizen, says that school fees should be prioritised ahead of lifestyle costs and other “apparent necessities”. There are very few expenses that should come before a child’s education and future, and ultimately sacrifices may need to be made, states Esterhuizen.
The Impact Of Not Paying School Fees
At the beginning of each year, schools set a budget and are aware of the amount of school fees they are to collect per year in line with that budget. When this budget falls short, schools will see a budget deficit of 20-40% in government schools.
When a school does not meet their budget, it becomes challenging for them to ensure that the school is adequately resourced, with enough furniture and staff. Both public and private schools have had to make budget cuts and cut back on teachers and groundsmen.
For those who are facing financial difficulty, the government has no-fee schools for learners to attend, and some schools will even exempt select learners from having to pay if parents cannot afford it. However, this raises a new issue of parents admitting their children to a school knowing that they won’t be able to afford it, but the school is not able to exclude a learner once they have been admitted.
Alternatively, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and school Governing Bodies also allow parents to raise funds within the community to help them pay for school fees.
Consequences For Not Paying School Fees
While the learner is not allowed to be suspended or excluded from class, receive verbal or non-verbal abuse or be denied access to school activities for non-payment, parents can face legal implications.
Schools possess the right to sue parents for not paying school fees. However, before the school can proceed with legal action, they will need to communicate with the parents about why the fees are not being paid.
Esterhuizen suggests that a savings plan can help prevent parents from being unable to make payments. If parents contribute a certain amount of money each month into a savings account and then pay the school fees upfront in January, they can receive a large discount, as well as avoid missing any payments and facing legal consequences.
What To Do If You Are Unable To Pay
Esterhuizen suggests that parents set up a meeting with the school to come to a payment plan agreement that suits them and their financial situation.
It is best for parents to come up with a sufficient savings plan for future school years, as well as focus on no-fee schools or schools with fees within their budget.
South Africa is expected to see an increase in school fees in the future, which could only exacerbate this problem further.
