• Morale is dipping for teachers and staff employed by the school governing body (SGB) at Highlands North Boys' High School.
• SGB staff already had pay cuts at the end of June.
• A teacher at the school said parents had not been paying fees way before Covid-19, and it was worse now during the pandemic.

Worry is mounting at a well-known Johannesburg high school that is faced with what it calls "serious financial difficulties".

Highlands North Boys' High School, which falls under quintile 5, mostly relies on parents paying fees in order for it to fund its day-to-day activities and pay employees hired by the school governing body (SGB).

Due to financial constraints the school already let three staffers go at the end of June, according to a communique, which News24 has seen, urging parents to pay fees.

The letter is dated 14 July and is addressed to parents, guardians and caregivers. It states that due to uncertainties around the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, its finances are being stretched.

"I am urging and pleading with parents to pay school fees for the school to be able to stand on its feet.

"The current situation is also leading the school to let go experienced teaching staff because it is unable to pay them. That will lead to a shortage and disadvantage our learners," writes the principal Mr M Masinge in the memo.

The school said it had also negotiated salary cuts with staff it paid directly, and added it was, however, open to suggestions or sponsors – even from parents – not in the interest of the school but of the children.

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A teacher with an SGB-funded post at the school told News24 their morale was low because they expected to be let go at any time.

The teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said parents had not been paying fees even before the virus hit the country's shores.

He said they were continuing with teaching and learning because they did not have a large capacity of Grade 11 and 12 pupils.

"But with the morale, when it comes to finances, some of us have very low morale because you just feel like you can be jobless any day," he said.

He added that he was anxious, even more so now that they had already had their salaries cut in June.

The teacher said they understood the financial woes were not the principal's fault, and added that he himself was tasked with calling parents to speak to them about paying fees.

"We focused on calling the parents of Grade 11 and 12s. I don't want to nag the Grade 10s and below because they haven't even been at school as yet," he said.

"Some of the parents would ask: 'Why you calling if our kids are not even at schools as yet?' The issues that we have here is merely because our parents haven't been paying, even way before the pandemic but now it is just worse."

He added that they had had to watch losing two administration members and one teacher.

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News24 could not reach the school via phone and moved to sending a query to the Gauteng education department.

In response to News24's query about the school's financial situation, department spokesperson Steve Mabona said it must conduct an assessment of the number of SGB posts required and engage the department accordingly.

"It is unfortunate that many parents are affected by the current situation and are probably unable to pay school fees. The school needs to advise parents to apply for school fee exemption. The department will be in a position to assist the school with necessary financial support," Mabona said.

Highlands North Boys' High is the latest school, public and private, having financial difficulties due to the pandemic.

Bishop Bavin, a prestigious private school in Bedfordview, closed its doors in June due to a reported R31.5 million deficit.

Earlier this month, the Labour Court ruled that staff and teachers at the private school were still employed by it.

Staff members took the school to court, demanding their jobs back or to be compensated in a way the court deemed appropriate.

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