A growing number of South African parents are moving their children from private to state schools — owing to exorbitant school fees.
The pinch is certainly being felt by two of South Africa's biggest school chains, Curro and AdvTech, reported the Sunday Times, which between them lost 3,881 pupils last year.
Some 683 of the 1,588 pupils who left AdvTech schools last year did so because their parents were struggling to pay fees.
Of the R25.2-million, R7.5-million are in arrears by more than 60 days.
Curro Holdings chief financial officer, Bernardt van der Linde told the publication that outstanding fees had previously stood at R56.1-million but as of January, were standing at R25.2-million.
"Of the R25.2-million, R7.5-million are in arrears by more than 60 days. Most of these parents have made payment arrangements," said van der Linde.
Affordability was the main reason pupils were leaving private schools, he said, but they are still doing research to confirm whether or not these pupils were going to state schools, "but we assume a large portion will leave to state schools," he added.
Families and schools were feeling that there is a financial contraction so some parents had to take their children out of independent schools.
The move by parents can also be attributed to economic hardships faced by families, said AdvTech CEO, Roy Douglas. "The fact that we are seeing a spike in people withdrawing or being excluded because of financial hardship is the cumulative effect of the number of years of poor economic performance that is biting into the consumer."
Added Lebogang Montjane, executive director of The Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa: "There's no question that last year our schools mentioned the serious economic pressures that many families were feeling. Families and schools were feeling that there is a financial contraction so some parents had to take their children out of independent schools."