While other children enjoy the new school year, Cambridge parent Bianca Collins’s daughter, who is supposed to start grade 2, is stuck at home.
This after Kingsway Christian Primary School had to close its doors.
In a letter sent to parents and seen by the GO!, Kingsway said: “without prior notice to Kingsway Christian School, the Department of Education launched a high court application to interdict and prohibit the school from operating with effect from the 4th of December 2019”.
However, Collins claims the letter was only sent to parents in about October 2019, when it was too late for parents to apply to other schools.
“Apparently they knew about it in July already.
“I am hurt and stressed not knowing what I am going to do to get my child in a school. “Apparently the department was supposed to assist us in placing our children in other schools but that did not happen,” Collins said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, one parent said they were “shocked” to have been informed so late in the year.
“It was not easy to find a school for my child and everyone is battling to find a school for their children.”
Department of education (DoE) spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani said they had no choice but to enforce the law when it came to Kingsway. According to the DoE, Kingsway had failed to get registered, which resulted in it being shut down.
“We took the matter to court and I believe the court would have taken a different ruling in dealing with the matter if there were other extenuating circumstances that the school brought forward.
“Registration of a school is an involved process so you cannot apply and just leave it there,” Pulumani said.
He said they had urged parents to contact the metro district office for assistance to place their children in schools.
Former school secretary Holly Hall alleged the school had applied to be registered with the education department in 2014, via e-mail, and had followed up in 2016 after not receiving a response.
“In October last year, the department came to us and said we would have to shut down.
“They also said they would assist parents to place their children in other schools which has not happened,” Hall said.
Attempts to get hold of the former school principal were unsuccessful.
