[This story has been updated: The image of the house displayed in the article was incorrectly identified. We apologies for any inconvenience caused]
A woman from Athlone is allegedly operating a fake school in her living room called Education for Africa and now mense want to warn others to stay away.
The Western Cape Education Department confirmed that the private school located in Dunbar Street was not registered on their database.
This was brought to light after a woman enrolled her 14-year-old niece at the school in January to complete grade 8 and 9. But the alarm bells went off when the child was apparently given Grade 1 work to do.
The woman, who wants to remain anonymous to protect the identity of her niece, says the reason she enrolled the girl at Education for Africa was because she had failed and was embarrassed to return to her old school, while also battling personal problems.
She explains: “We were vulnerable and needed to get this child into a school as we could not afford a private school.
“So a family friend mentioned Education for Africa and we went to meet with the principal who told us that the Education Department knows her very well. We trusted her, she is very convincing.
“She told us that my niece will do Grade 8 and 9 which we thought is fantastic because after that she can go to college and she told us not to worry, she will sort everything out with the Education Department.”
She says they were charged a monthly fee of R600, but when they asked for a report card and proof that the school is registered, they were told the principal couldn't find the documents.
The frustrated aunt adds: “She has a lot of excuses and she is lying. I decided to reach out to the WCED who confirmed the school is not registered.
“So last week we took my niece out of that school and we have luckily found her a registered institution.”
Principal Angeleen Jacobs from Education for Africa claims she is a private Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) centre and supplied her credentials and “WCED registration number” to the Daily Voice.
However, WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond confirmed, upon investigation, that the facility is not registered with them in any capacity.
Hammond says: “The WCED was not aware of this unregistered institution. The WCED will do a site visit to establish whether the institution is operating as an on-site school offering full time tuition to learners.
“The owner/s of this alleged illegal institution will be furnished with a letter to close down their operations.
“They will also be afforded the opportunity to register with the department as by operation of the law (South African Schools Act) and only after registration they will be allowed to operate as an independent school.”
But an adamant Jacobs says she offers classes to people who want to finish their matric, as well as Grade 7 to 9 pupils, and after-school and holiday tuition for primary school learners.
She insist: “I have been registered with the department for a very long time as a private adult learning centre.
“I have learners who are writing their matric and registered with the department and their certificates they are getting at the end of the year are from Umalusi.”
Asked about the 14-year-old student, Jacobs said she was just trying to help the girl and accused the aunt of being rude.
When Daily Voice asked Jacobs, over two days, to produce her WCED registered certificate, she kept making excuses, claiming she “did not have time yet”, she “was going to look for it”, and eventually she ignored queries.