Schools Can Withhold Report Card for Unpaid School Fees

Minister of Education Patrick Faber was also a guest this afternoon on Ask the Experts where he fielded questions from the public.  Among the many concerns that were raised during today’s episode was that of outstanding school fees and the withholding of report cards from parents who still owe monies for this academic year.  Faber says he cannot object to schools who deny the release of report cards because in many cases those bills go unpaid.

Dorian Pakeman

“Okay minister, you spoke about parents paying outstanding school fees, regardless if their child attended or not in the last [few] months.  That said, can a school withhold report cards until those balances are cleared?”

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“That is something that has long been accepted and while I sympathize with those who are saying well it’s difficult to pay, the truth of the matter is that the example is there in too many situations where these final reports are given.  You’re given a diploma, you’re given your final report card or whatever and then people don’t go back to pay and so I can’t say that I fault the schools.  What I would recommend that people do is to go in and communicate with the administration of schools.  These schools, by and large, are always very flexible.  There doesn’t need to be a kind of standoff situation.”