Parents of learners at 652 schools in the Western Cape will not have to pay school fees for their children next year.

Education departments countrywide classify schools according to national poverty rankings, known as quintiles. The poorest schools are in national quintiles one and two, while the least poor schools are in national quintiles four and five.

President Thabo Mbeki signed the Education Laws Amendment Act 24 of 2005 on 26 January this year (2006) to allow the national Minister of Education to identify categories of schools that may not charge school fees.

In terms of the Act, schools in national quintiles one and two must become no-fee schools from 1 January 2007. However, provinces could invite schools to apply for "no fee" status on a voluntary basis in 2006.

The WCED invited schools with certain poverty rankings to apply for "no-fee" school status earlier this year. A total of 419 schools accepted the invitation. The status took effect in May.

In 2007, no-fee status will become compulsory at 407 schools in national quintiles one and two.

The WCED has also invited schools in national quintile three to apply for no-fee status on a voluntary basis. As a result, parents of learners at 245 schools in quintile three will not have to pay school fees next year.

The Western Cape will have a total of 652 no-fee schools in 2007, representing 45% of the 1 452 schools in the province.

About 345 000 learners attend these schools, representing 38% of the learners in the Western Cape. This represents a considerable increase in the number of learners attending no fee schools in 2006, from 146 000.

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