Appeal to donors to ‘adopt’ a child’s fees

IN A BID to address the financial crisis at a Chatsworth school, it has embarked on an Edudopt campaign, which allows donors to “adopt” a child by paying their school fees or a portion of it.

Merry Hill Primary School in Bayview, Chatsworth, has thus far received a good response to their campaign, said principal Barbs Naidoo.

She said since the Covid-19 pandemic the school had faced tougher financial challenges as fundraising had stopped.

“We had to find new fundraising initiatives to recoup school fees. A staff member, Zahida Wahab, suggested Edudopt. We have put out notices on social media appealing for assistance. People can ‘adopt’ a child by paying their school fee of R1500 or part of it or adopt a project which could include painting, maintenance and repairs,” said Naidoo.

The appeal reads: “Merry Hill faced many financial challenges previously with many parents on social grants but COVID 19 has crippled us. This year is the worst as very few parents have paid school fees, we have had minimal fundraising activities and as a result we cannot meet our financial obligations.”

Naidoo said most of the children at the school came from a poor socio-economic background.

“Many had already been living off social grants and grandparents’ pension. Covid has worsened the situation. Many parents have lost their jobs and are battling to even put food on the table let alone pay school fees.

“We are trying to give children the best education. It is extremely important for them especially in their foundation years,” she said.

She said of the 420 pupils at the school, from Grade R to 7 this year, only 21 children’s fees were paid in full thus far.

“We struggle every month to pay the bills, which includes paying school governing body-employed teachers. The school has been broken into a number of times and vandalised,” said Naidoo.

She thanked members of the community and former pupils who had responded to their call for help.