How does one apply for exemption from payment of school fees in public school and when is same applicable?
“I have been retrenched a few months ago and it has now become apparent that I will not be able to pay my children’s school fees. The current situation is that neither my wife nor I are employed and as such I need to apply for exemption of the school fees. I have no alternative as all my savings have been used just to keep head above water. What can I do?”
It is no secret that due to the current crumbling economy and high rate of unemployment, many South Africans are finding it next to impossible to afford school fees over and above the day to day living costs.
However, many parents are not aware that all government schools which do not fall under the “no fees schools” bracket, offer the option of partial or full school fees exemptions.
This means that parents who are unemployed have some salvation and are still able to send their children to school.
WHAT ARE EXEMPTIONS FROM PAYMENT OF SCHOOL FEES AND HOW DO THEY WORK?
The exemption from payment of school fees is a mechanism government has put in place to assist parents in accessing quality education for their children irrespective of their background or financial constraints. The Department of Education has gazetted regulations in terms of the South African Schools Act, No 84 of 1996 on 18 October 2006 already was amended to regulate this process.
Exemptions must be calculated retrospectively from the beginning of the year, if the parent qualifies.
Parents who cannot afford to pay school fees must apply to the SGB for conditional, partial, or full exemption from paying school fees. Application forms can be obtained from the SGB or through the principal of a school.
Public schools must inform parents of the criteria and procedures and assist them in applying for exemption from paying school fees. The SGB must inform the applicant of the outcome of the application in writing within seven days after assessing the application for exemption.
Schools must not charge school fees for orphans.
If a parent is not satisfied with the SGB decision related to full or partial exemption, they may appeal to the Head of Department against the decision of the school within 30 days after receiving the school’s decision. It is the responsibility of every public school to assist parents in lodging appeals.
HOW DOES A PARENT APPLY FOR EXEMPTIONS?
Each public school is encouraged to establish a school fees committee. The chairperson of this committee must be a member of the SGB. The function of the committee is to administer all issues pertaining to school fees, such as collection of school fees, reporting to the SGB on income from school fees and to assist parents in applying for school fee exemptions. This committee considers the applications for exemptions and provides the SGB with recommendations.
A parent who, for whatever reason, needs assistance to apply for exemption or lodge an appeal may request the school fees committee chairperson or any members of the school fees committee to assist him or her in making the application.
If no assistance is given to the parent after he or she has requested it, the principal of the school concerned must assist the parent in such an application or appeal if requested to do so by the parent. No applicant may be disqualified on the ground that his or her application form is either incomplete or incorrectly completed.
The school fees committee must respond in writing to the parents on the outcome of their application within 14 days of applying.
Although many parents in South Africa may qualify for exemption either in full or partial, the system created to assist the indigenous people of South Africa, is being misused by ignorant and selfish people who has the necessary funds available but who wilfully choose not to pay any school fees and/or who is dishonest in their application form for exemption, which causes that the School’s funds are stretched even further by attempting to accommodate another pupil to the vast mass of truly indigenous pupils.
It is therefore in the light of the above that when one applies for exemption, either in full or in part that you be honest with your application.
Reference List: