The Deputy will be aware that voluntary contributions by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition.
The manner in which voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management, however their collection should be such as not to create a situation where either parents or pupils could reasonably infer that the contributions take on a compulsory character.
Following contact by a parent who raised a concern about the manner in which the school in question sought contributions, my Department wrote to the school seeking clarification from the school in relation to same. In its response, the school indicated that it has requested the company which provides its Data Management Systems to make appropriate adjustments to its online system which will in future indicate the voluntary nature of contributions.
My Department was again contacted again by the parent with a further concern following a subsequent letter issued from the school in question to parents in relation to a contribution being sought for heating and maintenance for the 2017/18 school year. My Department wrote again to the school and reminded it that all requests for contributions from parents must make clear that they are voluntary and that there is no compulsion to pay. My Department is currently awaiting a response to that letter.
The Deputy may also be aware that the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, which was published on 6th July 2016, contains a provision prohibiting the charging of fees or seeking payment or contributions for an application for admission to a school or for the enrolment or continued enrolment of a student in a school.
I also believe that schools need to be accountable to parents and we need greater levels of communication, engagement and transparency in how schools serve their communities. Better information for parents, including information in relation to the collection and use of voluntary contributions, is an issue that I will also be looking at in the context of my Department's work on a Parents' and Students' Charter.
