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Young pupils in uniforms on the first day of school
While parents continue to face the hassle of trying to get their children admitted in nearby schools, they now also have to deal with alleged officials asking them to pay bribes to secure space for their children.
Meanwhile, other parents are growing impatient at the Morningside teachers center in Sandton as today marks the third day since the academic year has started and their children are still not yet admitted.
Some of the parents who’ve been going to district offices to have their children placed in schools have expressed disappointment after being told to return on Monday.
A frustrated parent, Andrew Kekana, who is also struggling to get admission for his child raised concern that he was allegedly offered to pay a bribe of more than R2,500 at one of the schools in order to secure space for his child.
“In our schools there are people who are offering us space in exchange for money. When we look for space, most of our schools they admit more foreigners than South African citizens, and we pay tax to uplift these schools so they can be proper. So, I’m not happy with that because now somebody asked me for a bribe and the person is a foreigner. So, I told them straight up that I cannot pay you for space in my country,” says Kekana.
However, the Gauteng Department of Education warned parents of opportunistic people that might take advantage of their frustrations they are currently facing.
Gauteng Department of Education Spokesperson, Steve Mabona says, “Parents need to be weary, need to be cautious about such activities, but if they happen to have that information they must report to the officials, they must report to us. We are there to assist so that we make sure that there is no crime that is committed. If it our officials, we need that information to investigate. These allegations are coming every year when we deal with admissions.”
At the Morningside Teachers Center in Johannesburg, parents and guardians have told SABC News that they are being turned away at the district and told to return back on Monday.
Three days after schools opened parents are also concerned that lessons have started while their children are still at home.
One of the parents, Nkululeko Nkuna, says, “So, how is my child going to go to school and now, they just left us. They don’t say anything. At least, if they said that this is the situation, we are going to meeting or one, two, three, you guys we cannot be able to assist you, it was better. People came here at 5 (am), we are still here but now, they are telling us we must go back and come back on Monday.”
More parents feel misled because they are sent back and forth by the district and the schools that they applied in.
“My husband went to the school nearby Kaalfontein High School and spoke to the principal. The principal says the space is available, but I should come to Morningside district to ask for a transfer, they will place the child at the school. When I arrive here in the district today at 5 0’clock to ask for transfer, they turn us away saying officials who are supposed to assist us will be available on Monday,” says one of the frustrated parents.
Another parent says, “I went to the school, when I arrived they sent me to the district to come and ask for a transfer to find a space nearby. We arrived here at 5 in the morning and never got assisted.”
Meanwhile, one parent feels that parents should not blame the department entirely, but also themselves for applying late.
Getrude Mpofu says parents should at least meet the department halfway in this situation.
“Us, parents, we must also be able to meet the government halfway. For instance, I came here for a Grade 1 and 8. We were supposed to apply for them on time because I applied for them during the late applications. So, I won’t blame anyone but myself. I must be patient because they will help us.”
Mabona sympathised with the parents that were turned away at the district. He said the department was not aware that parents are turned away and told to come back on Monday.
“On the first day when we started this process some left at 8 o’clock at night, but they would have attended to everyone. So, we will check as the department on what informed that, but it is not supposed to be that way and we really apologise to those parents that would have been turned away. Everyone must be attended,” says Mabona.
The Gauteng Department of Education once again reassured parents that their children will get admitted eventually.
