Students turned back at Ladyville SDA Primary School for nonpayment of fees
It was back to school for thousands of pre and primary school students today. It was to have been a day to meet old friends, make new ones and get to know new teachers. For many students enrolled at the Ladyville Seventh Day Adventist Primary School in Ladyville, this was not the case. Shortly after arriving at school, a number of students were turned back to the surprise of their parents, who in turn, headed to the school to investigate the matter. We learned that the students were not allowed in classes because their parents owed the school monies for their children’s registration fee. It is also reported that the school raised the registration fee by a hundred percent and did not inform the parents. That was one contention parents had with the school’s administration this morning, but another was that the school allowed the children to go home alone. One parent, who wished to comment off camera, said that they were at work when a relative called to inform him that his six-year-old son had walked all the way to their house. He immediately responded and visited the school to make payments. Some parents, however, were unable to do so and their children remained out of classes today. Another parent said her four children missed day one of classes. She told us what happened.
Voice of: Parent
“My kids deh come home this morning and my kids were so upset. I asked them weh happen? So ih she that how daddy send deh home because you know ih ciahn pay the school fees till tomorrow. It was not school fees, it was registration fee. So I tell deh, but that neva happen. So I explained to them just tek off uno clothes. I gwein deh right now. When I come out here I was confronted by a parent right in front of the church. Ih she you have owed school fees so I she no. then she look at me and said well deh wa send hoem deh kids. So I told her like this, well I gwein go si upstairs at the office. When I went up there it was so outrageous. Parents were saying bad words and saying all kinds of things. But they have their mind to say it because if you know you have a child at the school, from the first time the child leave the school for the last year. If you know you would put this position to parents, you could have let parent know that form a note. Put the parent on an alert. That when you come to school you have that money to pay school fees. Because you know, everybody is poor. Everybody is trying, money comes and money goes. Money is just from hand to mouth. It was a whole lot of parents because I was, I get this after nine fifteen when my children deh reach home and when I come out here it was all crowded. So, you can ask the amount that leave already. When I heard it was 200 children leave.”
The media was not allowed on the school compound and despite several attempts, we were unable to get official comment from the school administration. We understand that the Ministry of Education is aware of the matter and is looking into it.
