Mbombela (Nelspruit) – The Mpumalanga Department of Education has warned public and private schools in the province against withholding any learner’s report card.
Reports have surfaced about schools withholding report cards to press parents to settle outstanding fees.
The non-submission of study materials has also resulted in the withholding of report cards.
However, the provincial education department warned that such a stance was in breach of the directive as informed by Section 29 (12) or the National Protocol on Assessments, for Grades R to 12, which prohibits both public and private schools from withholding a report card for any learner.
Schools were advised to use other lawful means to reach workable agreements to settle outstanding fees with the parents that do not disadvantage learners.
Mpumalanga Education MEC Bonakele Majuba on Thursday instructed that when the schools close report cards should immediately be issued to parents.
He said the directive states that a report card is issued as the only official document that is used to give feedback to parents on the achievement of learners.
“Parents have the right to know about the cumulative performance of their children for the whole year,” Majuba said.
“As such we hereby request schools to refrain from withholding the report card for any particular reason.”
Parents whose children’s report cards were being withheld by school authorities have been urged to report the matter to their local circuit offices.
