Dear Ms Mashabela

As a concerned citizen, I'd like to thank you for the question (question number in subject line) which you posed to the Minister of Basic Education with regard to the suspicious nature of a private school. The answer which you received, in my opinion, was not at all satisfactory, and I hope that you will follow it up. It is my understanding that ALL schools in this country, whether public or private, can only be registered (and thus become entitled to operate legally) as schools, if approved by the Education Department. Hence, and considering the large number of illegally-operating schools in SA, for the Minister to simply say she cannot comment, seems absurd. Was this school given the go-ahead to operate by authorities? If so, have all the prerequisites for operation been met - it sounds like this is questionable? If it has NOT been cleared by authorities, now that it has been identified, WHY is no-one taking responsibility for reporting it for inspection/to SAPS?? I am shocked, quite frankly. No wonder there are hundreds of tutor centres operating illegally as schools in every town and city. "If it's not on the books, it's not our problem." Thank you for your efforts. H. Gibbons