10 Apr 2022

The Ministry of Basic Education still maintains that no school should exclude learners from continuing with schooling or deny them certificates or testimonials because they owe school fees or have lost books.

Answering a question from  Francistown West, Mr Ignatius Moswaane themed ‘crisis of innocent Batswana children being denied access to education’ in Parliament recently, assistant minister, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja said a statement was made in 2014 to that effect and that school heads had since been directed, through directives and savingrams, to take heed of the issue and desist from denying learners their certificates and testimonials. 

“Questions have arisen before on the similar matter hence a statement delivered in Parliament in 2014 on the issue and the ministry still maintains that any debt incurred by learners should be followed up with their parents,” Ms Makwinja said.

She added that in a situation where a child was proceeding from junior to senior secondary school, their names and all other information relating to the debt should be forwarded to the senior secondary school they had been admitted.

“It remains the responsibility of both the school head and regional directors to follow up with parents to collect money owed to the schools,” she said.

On the other hand, she said the ministry however had not received any report of learners who could not report for Form four due to unpaid school fees.

MP Mr IMoswaane had asked the minister if she was aware that some learners failed to report for Form four because their parents were unable to pay outstanding fees and Parents Teachers Association (PTA) fees.

Mr Moswaane also told the minister that in some cases, school heads were also unable to transfer the outstanding debt to senior schools where learners had been admitted. ENDS