The department of education is pushing ahead with plans to expand the no-fees school programme in a move that has drawn mixed reactions by school governing body organisations.
Under current regulations, schools classified as quintiles one and two are exempt from paying fees, and this will be expanded to include quintile three schools from 2010. South African schools are ranked from poorest, quintile one, to richest, quintile five.
The expansion of no-fees schools will affect 60% of public schools in the country, but not all SGB organisations are happy about the changes.
“It has been on the cards for some time, and schools were given the option of moving up to quintile four or staying in quintile three,” says Cathy Callaghan of the Governor’s Alliance.
“It is problematic, but schools knew it was coming so hopefully they are prepared for the changes.”
Funda Mani of the National Asssociation of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) has however welcomed the move.
“We are fully behind the move as it is a small step towards realising what we have been pushing for, which is free and compulsory education.”
The changes are scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2010.