Zimbabweans Open Bogus School In South Africa, Fleece Parents Of Hard Earned Cash

The school in Ivory Park, Johannesburg had been operating since 2018 before it was closed under the Operation Vala programme. A GDE official confirmed Milton Park English Foundation School was opened by Zimbabweans who fled when they caught wind it was about to be closed. He added that the department went to Milton Park English Foundation School with the…

Zimbabweans Open Bogus School In South Africa, Fleece Parents Of Hard Earned Cash

Zimbabwean owners opened a bogus school in Johannesburg, South Africa and fled before the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) could apprehend them and shut down the school.

The school in Ivory Park, Johannesburg had been operating since 2018 before it was closed under the Operation Vala programme.

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A GDE official confirmed Milton Park English Foundation School was opened by Zimbabweans who fled when they caught wind it was about to be closed.

GDE spokesperson, Steve Mabona confirmed that the school was owned by Zimbabwean nationals. He added that the department went to Milton Park English Foundation School with the intention of closing it down but by then the owners had already fled the premises.

The bogus school had been offering tuition for learners from Grade R to Grade 9. The school had an enrollment of 111 pupils with the majority of them being Zimbabweans. GDE received a tipoff that the school was operating in its latest location.

According to the information they received, Milton Park English Foundation School had been operating for five months in Ivory Park, Johannesburg. The school owners changed locations each time they were identified and shut down. They were last closed in 2020 while operating in a different location.

GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said:

However, the owners have been operating illegally from different densely populated locations, moving each time they are identified and closed. The said illegal school was previously shut down in 2020, whilst operating from a different location

He said learners from the school will be placed at neighbouring registered schools. Mabona said parents will be informed of the school’s closure before their children are placed in new schools. He said:

The officials visited the school to assess learners, a meeting will be facilitated to inform parents of developments regarding the school

The officials will deal with undocumented pupils and ensure that the right procedure is followed so that they can attend school legally. He said:

Officials will continue with such a process, however children of school-going age should be in a classroom, and as such documents or lack thereof will not be a barometer.

In 2021, about 20 unregistered schools operating in Ivory Park were shut down by former education MEC Panyaza Lesufi.

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