Maria Louw High Parents Demand No-Fee Status and More Teachers

Parents at Maria Louw High School have raised serious concerns about school fees, the lack of a feeding scheme and an ongoing shortage of teachers.

Speaking on behalf of the School Governing Body (SGB) and the broader parent community, SGB chairperson Keenan Minnaar said parents have been trying for years to have the school reclassified as a Quintile 3 institution.

Minnaar said the community surrounding the school is financially strained and many parents cannot afford the current annual school fee of about R900 per learner.

“We don’t want school fees to be paid at the school because the area we are staying in is a poor area. People can’t afford it,” he said.

He questioned why nearby schools such as Nkwanca High School and Luvuyo Lerumo High School — both located within a few kilometres — are classified as Quintile 3 schools, while Maria Louw High is not.

According to Minnaar, being classified as a Quintile 3 school would also allow Maria Louw to benefit from a government feeding scheme.

He said many learners come from primary schools where they receive meals and are accustomed to the National School Nutrition Programme.

“When they come to high school, there is no feeding scheme. Maybe that is the only meal for the day. We don’t know if they are coming to school hungry,” Minnaar said.

The SGB chairperson also raised concerns about a shortage of teachers, particularly in Afrikaans and Life Orientation. He claimed that the school has been without certain subject teachers for several years.

“Grade 12 learners up until today do not have a Life Orientation teacher and no Afrikaans teacher. How are our children going to move forward in life?” he asked.

Minnaar further alleged that the situation has contributed to learner dropouts, particularly among coloured learners, saying the lack of teaching support is having a serious impact.

Parents are expected to meet with the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education at 11am, where they hope the matter will be escalated to the provincial legislature.

The Eastern Cape Department of Education had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.