`No fee' schools launched
2006-06-22
THE parents of 34 local primary schools are now exempt from the payment of the school fees, following the launch of the “no fee” exemption policy launched this week.
A total of 419 schools in the Western Cape will benefit from this policy.
Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool, with Education MEC for the province Cameron Dugmore and other education dignitaries, paid an official visit to Paarl on Monday.
They visited Paulus Joubert Primary to present a cheque of R328350 to the school’s principal Granville Isaacs, the amount paid into the school’s bank account to cover the fees of all the children at the school for 2006.
“The poorest of the poor need the best education. Poverty should not stand in the way of children attending school, and falling deeper into the abyss.”
A total 146 000 learners in all the provinces’ schools stand to benefit from this project.
Speaking to parents and educators present, he asked them to continue supporting the school in other ways and to focus on maintaining family and family values.
“Remember that no stigma clings to the status of ‘no fee’ schools. You are the generation of hope that must break the circle of poverty, for you are the hope of the future,” he concluded.
The MEC for Education, Cameron Dugmore, singled out the school as a shining example of having different programmes in place to enhance a learning culture, although learners are from one of the poorest communities in the Western Cape.
“Thanks to strong leadership at the school, the WCED does not have to apply interventions to ensure development in the school,” he said.
No fee status will apply initially to schools that serve the poorest communities in the country, according to poverty rankings used to allocate funding to schools.
Taking effect on 1 January 2007, provinces may introduce the policy early on a voluntary basis.
The WCED invited more than 400 schools to opt for no fee status earlier this year, and officials toured the province in March and April to explain what the policy is all about.
In the end 419 schools applied to become no fee schools catering for about 146 000 learners, representing 15,9% of the total number of learners in the Western Cape. No fee status took effect at these schools from 1 May this year.
The WCED has allocated R29 million to fund the introduction of no fee schools during the 2006/07 financial year, followed by amounts of R139 million and R237 million in 2007/08 and 2008/09 respectively.
Schools are ranked in five quintiles, based on the relative poverty of the communities surrounding the schools.
Quintile one schools represent the poorest communities, while those in quintile five are situated in the least poor communities. All of the 419 schools that have opted for no fee status so far are in quintile one.
From 2007 the department intends to cover all National Quintile 1-3 schools (both primary and secondary) in the Western Cape.
This will mean that all those schools with 37,6% of the poorest learners will be receiving a Norms and Standards allocation of at least R554 per learner.
No school will receive less than they currently receive when the ‘no fee status’ system is fully implemented.
Parents of children attending “no fee” schools will therefore not have to pay school fees, and will not have to apply for exemption from paying school fees.These schools will also supply support materials.
Local schools identified as `No Fees' schools
Alfons
Amstelhof
Bergendal
Bergrivier Laer
Blouvlei
Bosplaas
Daljosaphat
Dalubuhle
Groenberg
Groendal
Ihlumelo
Imboniselo
Joostenberg
Kersboslaagte
Klapmuts
Langabuya
Magnolia
Mbekweni
Nederburg
Nieuwedrift
Nondzame
Orleansvale
Paarlzicht
P Joubert Prim
Pniel
Ronwe
Simondium
Soetendal
Sonop
Voor-Groenberg
Wagenmakersvallei
Wemmershoek
Wes-Eind
Windmeul
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