Cape Town - Celebrating an education milestone with a matric ball has become a tradition matriculants look forward to, but with a rise in cost of living, the celebration has become a financial burden many struggle to carry.
Having a designer dress, vehicle and grooming budget can cost R10 000- R20 000, and according to Salt River High School acting principal, this expenditure puts tremendous pressure on families.
“We always have a problem - many times students come alone because they can’t afford to go with a partner. We have fund-raisers to help make sure everyone attends. We try to see to it that they get there, to the extent that we bring clothes for them to wear and sponsor a child or two.
“I spoke to a parent two weeks ago who was angry. She said her granddaughter failed two exams and they’d already spent R17000 on her matric ball. This is people who don’t own their homes, who rent and struggle,” said acting principal Fairuz Patel.
Milnerton High School principal Paul Besner agreed and said the schools had had issues before with parents who spend a fortune on limousines and hairstylist for matric balls but were not making contributions to school fees.
“It’s educationally unsound to pay money for one night and not make good on core issues of education.
“In this country with a developing population, a matric ball is a celebration - as long as education becomes a celebration, we’re willing (to help). For many of our families, it’s the first in the family to get to matric,” said Besner.
Matric event planner Bridget Booysen said there had been a dip in matric expenditure for dances, as schools were restricting their budgets. However, Booysen said pupils still forked out R900-R1200 a couple for their attendance tickets which excluded their attire.
Although the burden to out-do peers put tremendous on many parents, Cape Chamber of Commerce president Janine Myburgh said the tradition had become a necessary part of the economy and society, and created work for dressmakers and others, generating economic activity.
“The main thing is to be sensible and keep costs under control. It’s important to celebrate milestones of our children, but as South Africans, we have a poor savings culture.
“What they look like at the matric dance is not what will shape them as fulfilled adults in their lives ahead. It should rather be an opportunity for parents to show their children what it means to deal with money prudently.
“For those matrics who have worked in their spare time, let them enjoy the fruits of their labour,” said Myburgh.
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