Durban - Education stakeholders are hoping the eThekwini Municipality can help resolve the financial mess schools find themselves in.
Section 21 schools in KwaZulu-Natal, which owe the city more than R80 million in unpaid utility bills, face disconnection of essential services.
But the city’s head of communications says disconnecting electricity and water supply is the last resort as schools cannot be left stranded.
They are encouraging schools, which are in arrears, to approach the municipality and make payment arrangements.
With the minimal annual allocation public schools receive from the Department of Education, paying off bills that run into tens of thousands is a tall order.
The chairperson of the KZN Parents Association, Vee Gani, said: “Many parents are unemployed and cannot pay school fees and as a result the schools are being compromised.
"Poor schools struggle the most and you will find these principals stress about how they will make ends meet. Stakeholders need to come together and assist schools in trouble.”
Educationist Labby Ramrathan believes the provincial department and city should work together with schools to solve their financial woes.
“The department and city need to get involved and work together with the schools to find a way to reduce the costs. It should become a nationwide social project.”
Former principal and retired Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Education Portfolio Committee, Ram Maharaj, said it was “educationally unsound” to threaten schools with an interruption of electricity and water supplies.
“Relevant officials from the department must intervene to prevent such a sad situation from continuing. A child’s right of access to education cannot be violated.”
DA Chief Whip, Councillor Sharon Hoosen, said children should not be concerned about whether they would be able to use a toilet during school hours or be educated in darkness.
“This is just wrong. How can we justify or defend a decision to disconnect schools with no income?
"The fact is that schools in more affluent areas will continue to keep the lights on, while those in poorer communities will teach in darkness.
“This decision will punish children from poor communities. It is shameful and embarrassing. As leaders, if we genuinely want to reverse the legacy of discrimination in our country, we have to provide more support to those children who come from poor communities.”
Department spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa said district officials and principals of the affected schools met senior city officials, including mayor Zandile Gumede.
“We are therefore confident that these continuous engagements will produce lasting solutions.”
The head of communications at the municipality, Tozi Mthethwa, said they were engaging with the department as well as the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and affected schools.
“The inter-governmental engagement has been going on over a long period of time,” said Tozi.
“The city will only disconnect schools as a last resort as we appreciate that education intuitions cannot be left stranded without electricity and other services.
"The eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede, is also championing the meetings with the regional leadership of the Department of Education and school principals to determine a way forward and arranging payment terms for the outstanding debts.”
Gumede said she would not allow schools in poor communities to have their electricity disconnected.
“They must come to us and make payment arrangements, so that we can continue to provide services. If anyone alleges electricity has been disconnected at a school, let us know in writing so we can investigate. We will always liaise with principals.”