MARINÉ JACOBS

Private tuition is becoming increasingly popular among South African parents. With governmental education problems often making headlines, this hardly seems like a surprise. However, when it comes to private schools versus public schools, who really wins this tug-of-war?

“In general, parents choose independent schools because they want more, better or different education, access to education where there are no public schools available, quality education or education different to that provided by the public system – faith-based schools, or alternative philosophies.” This is according to Jane Hofmeyr, executive director of the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA).

Independent schools usually tend to be smaller than public schools, meaning more personal attention to your child. There are also added benefits of being better equipped and not being subject to national or provincial teacher strikes. Another benefit is that discipline tends to be a lot stricter in private schools, and children who continually disrupt classes or ignore rules can be asked to leave the school. “On average independent schools produce a higher percentage of senior certificate passes and university
entrance passes than public schools.” says Hofmeyr.

Unfortunately, these benefits generally come with a hefty price tag. According to Jaco Deacon, the deputy CEO of the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (Fedsas), the average annual tuition fee for public primary schools in South Africa is between R5500 and R6000, whereas for secondary schools it is between R6500 and R7500. Of ISASA’s member schools, about two thirds charge more than R28 000 per year. Another benefit of public schools is that they are generally well established and have access to many facilities. When children attend local schools, they tend to develop a sense of pride in their community and interact with children from a similar social class. Children who attend private schools are often from affluent or wealthy families, meaning that a child from a middle-class family may find it difficult to fit in.

Choosing whether to send your child to a private or public school is not an easy decision. Parents should weigh up the pros and cons and do comprehensive research on the options before making a decision. Visit www.saschools.co.za, www.isasa.org and www.fedsas.org.za for more information.

A checklist for parents who are interested in enrolling their children in an independent school (provided by ISASA):

• Ask the school for its Education Management Information System (EMIS) number to check whether it is registered with the provincial education department and thus legal.
• Find out if the school has a provisional accreditation number from Umalusi, the statutory body that quality assures independent schools.
• Check if its teachers are registered with the South African Council for Educators.
• Ask if the school belongs to an independent schools association, such as ISASA.
• In the case of a high school, ask for its school-leaving examination results for the last few years, especially the percentage of BD (university entrance) passes.
• In the case of a primary school, ask for the results of the state ANAs or other benchmarking tests.
• Check if a pre-primary school is registered with the provincial Health and Social Welfare departments.
• Ask a pre-primary about its particular educational approach and into which primary schools its children are accepted.