Judy Botha is upset that NPBHS is using NCEA exam admission forms as incentive to pay outstanding fees at the end of the school year.

A New Plymouth high school has been threatening to stop students sitting exams unless they pay their school fees.

New Plymouth Boys' High School was warned by the Ministry of Education on Friday after being told students were expected to complete leaving processes, including having to pay outstanding fees, in order to receive the necessary documentation to sit their final NCEA exams.

In a statement, Katrina Casey, head of the ministry's sector enablement and support, said they were perturbed to hear educational opportunities were being used as leverage by the school administration and had spoken with school principal Paul Veric about the issue.

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"We are concerned when we hear a school may be preventing entry to examinations or withholding educational opportunities until charges, fees or voluntary donations are paid."

Parent Judy Botha said her son, who was in Year 11 at the school, came home extremely upset on Thursday after being told he would not receive his exam admission form until he had paid outstanding fees.

Botha's understanding was that the outstanding amount was the school's $240 non-compulsory donation.

Countless students had been denied collecting their NZQA registration forms to sit their exams this year, for things like not paying the non-compulsory fee, having overdue library books, or having outstanding detentions, she said.

This not only added to the stress of impending exams but the boys were humiliated, Botha said.

"He came home that day and was so upset, yelling at his dad, 'why didn't you pay my school fees?'," she said.

"It's embarrassing for the kids."

Botha said she wanted to speak out, not only for her son, but for the other students who were being unfairly disadvantaged.

Botha insisted on a meeting with Veric and the Year 11 dean on Friday, during which she was told it was the school's action were "just trying to bring awareness".

"It's a form of bullying to me. They should apologise for the stress and embarrassment they have caused them."

She was disgusted that her son had to be made "aware" of anything to do with money matters regarding his tuition, she said.

Principal Paul Veric, new to the school this year, said the school had used this method to encourage students to complete their leaving process since NCEA was introduced, which included students having to return all school equipment and working with some families to pay back any compulsory school fees.

Veric stressed that no student had ever missed out on sitting their exams because of this practice.

However, the school would abolish the staggered handing out of the slips from this year forward, he said.

"NPBHS has clarified this historic process with the Ministry of Education, we have learnt that we need to supply NCEA Admission Slips to all students at the same time regardless of any leaving procedures.

"Most students received their admissions slips yesterday, all outstanding NCEA admission slips have been sent out to families today."

When asked whether Botha's claim about the outstanding fees being non-compulsory to pay, Veric said staff had "never ever" forced the payment of the voluntary school donation and nor would they ever.

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