Curro Westbrook Independent School (Gqeberha)

Curro Westbrook, sitting in Parsonsvlei, Gqeberha, acting like it is in Sandton. R84,474 for Grade 12? In the Eastern Cape? Broe, that is not school fees, that is a second-hand bakkie with a sound system and still some change for koeksisters. And they said it so casually in their own description, "fee-paying day school," like they needed to remind parents what they have been crying about every January since Grade R when it was already R48,678. You paid R48k for your kid to learn to colour in. Respect, I suppose. 526 learners, 40 teachers, and a 13.2 to 1 ratio, which honestly sounds impressive until you remember this is Gqeberha and the school is following the IEB like it is trying to be a Cape Town school but the N2 had other plans. The IEB in the Eastern Cape hits different, hey. You are writing the same fancy paper but when you step outside it is still Port Elizabeth wind and someone's uncle asking if you want to buy fish from a bakkie. No boarding facilities either, which they mentioned specifically, almost like they wanted to say, "look, we charge you almost a hundred grand but you still have to fetch your child." Parsonsvlei parents doing the school run every day, fees draining, load shedding making the robots useless, jy weet hoe is dit. Overall verdict: Curro Westbrook is what happens when ambition meets the Eastern Cape budget, overpriced, slightly confused about its location, but clearly doing something right with those teacher ratios.