AT least two dozen students were denied entry to Kingsway High School in St Andrew yesterday over what Principal Jaron Whitely said was the non-payment of tuition fees.

According to Whitely, the school was forced to take the action after parents ignored the numerous warnings sent out. He said school fees had been outstanding from before he took office in January 2013. He, however, declined to disclose the sum owed.

“Parents are not responding to us; we have called them in and they have made arrangements to pay the fees, but month end comes and nothing, the other month end comes and nothing, so it’s like they are just using us and sometimes Jamaicans do not respond to persuasion or gentle reminders, they respond to drastic measures,” he said.

Bursar Donavon Salmon told the Jamaica Observer that at least six notices were sent out to parents since February to no avail. He said the last notice was sent on Friday.

Kingsway High School, with its population of 350 students, is located on Osbourne Road in the Kencot community. The school is owned by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and charges $35,500 per term in tuition.

Yesterday, the students who were denied entry gathered in front of the school and complained of being treated unfairly by the school administrators.

One student said her mother had an outstanding balance of $5,000 to clear but the school would not allow her in. Another student said one parent had to “go on bad” before her child was let into the school.

Meanwhile, some students said that they were locked out for not having identification cards (IDs) and class permits, which are only issued when school fees are paid.

“I don’t have my ID an’ my pass, that’s why dem let me out, and you have to have your parents too,” the female student told the Observer.

“Times are hard and we should not be punished for our parents’ actions,” complained another student

The rowdy students were eventually calmed after a female police officer from the St Andrew Central Police division addressed them.

“I want you to behave like children. Don’t do anything out of the way,” she told them.

After about 30 minutes, the principal decided to let the students onto the school compound. They were into an auditorium and warned that they would have bring their parents to school to discuss payment before they are allowed to join their classes.

The principal said that in the past, students whose school fees were paid up would lend their passes to their delinquent peers. This, he said, resulted in the introduction of class permits and identification cards.

He also told the Observer that payment plans are available to all students, but that most parents do not take advantage of it.

Being a private school, Whitely said Kingsway High does not receive Government support and that the outstanding money is needed to pay salaries and settle utility bills and other costs.

He said the school is subsidised by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

“It’s a ministry that we’re doing, that’s why the fees are not as high as other private institutions, but some parents are not giving their share,” he said.