ABOUT 19 independent schools in Gauteng have not received their state subsidies since last year.
When the department of education conducted audits into the schools last year, it emerged that the schools had not complied with certain regulations .
Last year, former police commissioner George Fivaz was appointed to probe alleged subsidy fraud after a priest was arrested for fraud.
About R20-million had been allocated to the 73-year-old priest to run two schools. One was in the Ramaphosa informal settlement in Germiston and the other in Denver in south Johannesburg. Both schools are to be closed down.
"The initial assessment was given to the department in November. We have also received the final one and we are studying it," Gauteng education spokesman Charles Phahlane said.
In the meantime pupils at one of the schools, St Peter Claver Primary School in Pimville, Soweto, are suffering since their teachers have not been paid for two months. The teachers stopped coming to work and the school has now asked parents to baby-sit children at school.
The teachers did not receive their salaries in February and were only paid R2000 each this month.
A teacher at the school said: "How are we expected to come to school if we are only paid R2000. The money does not come close to covering our expenses. To say that the school is in trouble is an understatement."
Parents are angry that the school now wants to increase fees.
A parent with a Grade 4 child said: "We went to a meeting on Sunday and they told us the fees have to be increased from R800 to R3200.
"How can they increase fees on Sunday and want the money on Monday?"
She said she was unhappy that the Catholic church was not willing to help.
But the church said it was not at fault. Rosa Calaca of the Catholic Schools Office said the school had not received any funding from the church.
"When the audit was done in October and November the school was not fully compliant. The department asked for additional information and the school produced the required documents and we were told at a meeting that the money would be paid."
Calaca said the problem was that the department did not want to commit to when the money would be paid. She said the money was "a substantial amount that could pay salaries for three months".
"At a meeting on February 20 called by the GDE for non-compliant schools, the board members were asked to sign a legal document and return it by February 24 in order to receive their outstanding payment. The school complied with the document."
Phahlane said they were investigating why the teachers had not been paid.
Both Phahlane and Calaca declined to say how much the school received in subsidies.
"The school informed the Gauteng department of education that teachers were refusing to teach because they had not been paid. We have since reminded the school of its responsibility when it comes to salaries of teachers."
Blow for 19 schools
ABOUT 19 independent schools in Gauteng have not received their state subsidies since last year.
When the department of education conducted audits into the schools last year, it emerged that the schools had not complied with certain regulations .
Last year, former police commissioner George Fivaz was appointed to probe alleged subsidy fraud after a priest was arrested for fraud.
About R20-million had been allocated to the 73-year-old priest to run two schools. One was in the Ramaphosa informal settlement in Germiston and the other in Denver in south Johannesburg. Both schools are to be closed down.
"The initial assessment was given to the department in November. We have also received the final one and we are studying it," Gauteng education spokesman Charles Phahlane said.
In the meantime pupils at one of the schools, St Peter Claver Primary School in Pimville, Soweto, are suffering since their teachers have not been paid for two months. The teachers stopped coming to work and the school has now asked parents to baby-sit children at school.
The teachers did not receive their salaries in February and were only paid R2000 each this month.
A teacher at the school said: "How are we expected to come to school if we are only paid R2000. The money does not come close to covering our expenses. To say that the school is in trouble is an understatement."
Parents are angry that the school now wants to increase fees.
A parent with a Grade 4 child said: "We went to a meeting on Sunday and they told us the fees have to be increased from R800 to R3200.
"How can they increase fees on Sunday and want the money on Monday?"
She said she was unhappy that the Catholic church was not willing to help.
But the church said it was not at fault. Rosa Calaca of the Catholic Schools Office said the school had not received any funding from the church.
"When the audit was done in October and November the school was not fully compliant. The department asked for additional information and the school produced the required documents and we were told at a meeting that the money would be paid."
Calaca said the problem was that the department did not want to commit to when the money would be paid. She said the money was "a substantial amount that could pay salaries for three months".
"At a meeting on February 20 called by the GDE for non-compliant schools, the board members were asked to sign a legal document and return it by February 24 in order to receive their outstanding payment. The school complied with the document."
Phahlane said they were investigating why the teachers had not been paid.
Both Phahlane and Calaca declined to say how much the school received in subsidies.
"The school informed the Gauteng department of education that teachers were refusing to teach because they had not been paid. We have since reminded the school of its responsibility when it comes to salaries of teachers."