PARENTS of Mowbray College students feel cheated that the extent of the school’s financial difficulties was not made public until the school went into voluntary administration last week.
Melton’s Amit and Arpana Saxena, who moved to the suburb in order to be close to the school, said their lives had been turned upside down. “It’s a really difficult period for us as parents, waiting for an opening to become available for Shiven,” Mr Saxena said.
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Mrs Saxena said even if the school were to remain open, she wouldn’t keep her son enrolled.
“I know that many parents feel the same. We have been cheated,” she said. “When I asked for his fees to be refunded, it was refused. I don’t think I’ll get the money we paid. We will be paying double school fees.”
Click on the image below for our gallery of Mowbray College’s last day.
Caroline Springs father Mick Prodan also said he was angered by an initial lack of communication from Mowbray College about its financial difficulties after months of rumours. “I’m disappointed my kids aren’t going to be continuing in the school with a great 30-year tradition and formerly fine reputation.” Mr Prodan said.
Parent action group member Marina Blev said it had been a stressful time. “Mowbray is a good school and we were happy with it. We are fighting to keep it open. The last option is to go somewhere else.”
An email from the school was sent to Mowbray parents on Friday afternoon. It stated “as you are aware, the college has been facing significant financial difficulties for some time”.
But the Weekly spoke to a number of parents who said these difficulties were never explained and information was gathered via the media and rumours.
Acting principal David Robertson said the closure was due to “a lack of available funding required to keep the college fully operational on an ongoing basis”. “The administrator, Mr Jim Downey, is in the process of reviewing all payments made by parents up to and beyond the end of this term.”
He assured parents that concerted efforts were made to obtain funding to keep the college open, but no funds were available.
Greens education spokeswoman Sue Pennicuik said the state government should bring Mowbray into the public system if no other option could be found. “It’s important to maintain continuity of students’ education. It would be ridiculous to allow a viable school to close.”
