ZOMBODZE NATIONAL DEMANDS E3 000 FROM OVCS

MBABANE – Misery has overwhelmed orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs)attending school at Zombodze National High.

This comes after the school demanded E3 000 deposit upfront to issue a social welfare form for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s (DPM) approval. It has been gathered that the school is locking out all pupils who have not paid deposits. In an interview with some parents, they said all children under the DPM’s Office were supposed to receive forms from the Social Welfare Department upon acceptance. Instead, they said the school did not issue the form but gave the pupils a deposit slip.

The parents stated that their children were locked out of the gate by the security guard, who mentioned that only those who had paid deposits and school fees in full would be allowed inside. This, according to the parents, happened when the school released the end of year examination results. One of the parents stated that she had three children in the same school and in total had to pay E9 000. The parent said after receiving the deposit slips, she went to the school to state her case that she could not afford the said amount as she was a domestic worker and the father of her children passed away.

Results

According to the parent, the school did not chase away the children but withheld their results and claimed that they would be released after all school fees had been settled. When reached for comment, the school’s Head teacher, Bheki Zwane, stated that parents reached a resolution during one of their meetings that all learners should pay the deposit, whether under the OVC Fund or not. Zwane said about three quarters of the pupils were under the OVC Fund. He said the school could not function if the deposits were not charged. The school head stated that the resolution was made based on the fact that the OVC funding was insufficient, as government paid E1 900 irrespective of how much the school fees cost.

He said guardians of OVCs were also required to pay top-up fees. “The DPM’s letter is issued after the pupils pay the deposit.” Zwane said they then added the deposit to what government paid. He said government was aware of their arrangement, which was endorsed even by the auditors and was not a secret. He said they allowed the pupils into class, but encouraged that they paid the fees. Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training Bheki Gama said parents decided on the school fees. Gama said new parents who brought in their children also follow the laws made by the parents at the school. He said the ministry only supported in bringing in teachers to the schools.

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