News / National
Mangwe schools defy Govt, engages debt collectors
24 Aug 2016 at 06:32hrs | Views
MORE schools in Mangwe District are defying a Government directive by engaging debt collectors to force parents to pay school fees.
Sanzukwi Secondary School has now taken this route after Bhulu Primary and Kweneng Primary Schools.
Sanzukwi Secondary School development committee chairperson Mrs Wilfreda Ncube said the debt collectors were moving around villages issuing defaulting parents with final notices.
"The debt collectors haven't started attaching properties as yet but they have issued parents with letters that indicate that they have to pay an additional 30 percent of the money they owe.
"We decided to engage debt collectors after realising that a number of parents were not forthcoming in paying school fees. The debt collectors are housed at Sanzukwi Secondary School," she said.
Mrs Ncube said the school recently held a general meeting and it was agreed to engage debt collectors.
She said traditional leaders from the area approved the decision and school authorities agreed properties would be attached in order to recover monies owed.
Mrs Ncube said some of the debts emanated from school fees that remained unpaid since 2012.
Meanwhile, Sanzukwi Primary School development committee chairperson, Mrs Siphilile Ncube, said a messenger of court had issued parents with final notices to clear school fees arrears.
She said if parents do not comply, the school would approach the court to attach property in a bid to recover unpaid fees.
The councillor of Mphoengs area, Mr Norman Tshuma, said parents were disgruntled by the move.
"Parents are disgruntled that schools are taking the legal route especially Sanzukwi Secondary which has engaged debt collectors who are now charging extra.
"Villagers are now living in fear of losing their properties as the debt collectors have threatened to attach them.
"There have been incidences in the past where bogus individuals have collected money from villagers under the pretext of being sent by schools," he said.
The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Lazarus Dokora, has previously said if schools decided to take the legal route to collect outstanding fees, they had to approach the Small Claims Court and not debt collectors.
Sanzukwi Secondary School has now taken this route after Bhulu Primary and Kweneng Primary Schools.
Sanzukwi Secondary School development committee chairperson Mrs Wilfreda Ncube said the debt collectors were moving around villages issuing defaulting parents with final notices.
"The debt collectors haven't started attaching properties as yet but they have issued parents with letters that indicate that they have to pay an additional 30 percent of the money they owe.
"We decided to engage debt collectors after realising that a number of parents were not forthcoming in paying school fees. The debt collectors are housed at Sanzukwi Secondary School," she said.
Mrs Ncube said the school recently held a general meeting and it was agreed to engage debt collectors.
She said traditional leaders from the area approved the decision and school authorities agreed properties would be attached in order to recover monies owed.
Meanwhile, Sanzukwi Primary School development committee chairperson, Mrs Siphilile Ncube, said a messenger of court had issued parents with final notices to clear school fees arrears.
She said if parents do not comply, the school would approach the court to attach property in a bid to recover unpaid fees.
The councillor of Mphoengs area, Mr Norman Tshuma, said parents were disgruntled by the move.
"Parents are disgruntled that schools are taking the legal route especially Sanzukwi Secondary which has engaged debt collectors who are now charging extra.
"Villagers are now living in fear of losing their properties as the debt collectors have threatened to attach them.
"There have been incidences in the past where bogus individuals have collected money from villagers under the pretext of being sent by schools," he said.
The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Lazarus Dokora, has previously said if schools decided to take the legal route to collect outstanding fees, they had to approach the Small Claims Court and not debt collectors.
Source - chronicle
