adminTHERE has been an influx of reports about school heads being accused of abusing school funds.
In most reports, the heads reportedly collude with School Development Committee chairpersons to divert funds from their intended purposes and create different avenues to milk parents or guardians to personally benefit themselves.
Such devious actions short change students and their parents and also hampers Government’s efforts to transform the country’s education sector.
Government is driving Education 5.0 – a five-mission model of teaching, research, community service, innovation and industrialisation.
This model was established to move the nation towards an innovation-led and knowledge-driven economy.
It speaks to utilisation of local resources for social and economic development and is mainly driven by parents or guardian interventions.
After parents and guardians pay fees for their children, they expect to see them excelling and being equipped with the new skills-based knowledge at the core of Education 5.0.
But if funds are constantly misused by school authorities, the objectives of Education 5.0 might be missed while school heads use its requirements as a self-enrichment exercise by demanding money from parents which they then embezzle.
Last week, we published a story about the Prince Edward High School headmaster, Aggripa Sora, who is now being probed by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education after disgruntled parents accused him of misusing the school’s funds and leaving the coffers dry.
In a petition to the Ministry which triggered the probe, the parents accused Sora of embezzling the 2023 Form Ones’ interview fees which were paid in US dollars. They alleged that the funds could not be accounted for.
They complained that some funds meant to sponsor some of the school’s activities were nowhere to be found.
Sora also stands accused of taking direct charge of receipting some payments such as money for the Beit Hall, Auditorium, Lecture Theatre, Pavilions and Sports fields.
Parents said under Sora, the school’s standards and performances had deteriorated and if he was left to continue running it like his personal project, PE would be unrecognisable in no time.
What is disturbing is the role the SDC chairperson is alleged to be playing in the rot. The SDC is a parents’ body that works hand-in-hand with the school’s administration to develop and improve the school’s standards. So, when the SDC chair is actively involved in running down the school and embezzlement, then rules governing SDCs have to be revisited and tightened to ensure they’re not moneymaking vehicles.
This has unfortunately been happening at a number of schools, both private and public, whereby SDCs approve fees, school trips and procure uniforms at inflated prices for their personal benefit.
Parents must not take the back seat and watch such things happen to our schools, and should confront school authorities and SDCs to demand transparency and that every cent is used for its intended purpose and not pocketed by individuals.
The PE case is one of many and thumbs up to the parents and Old Boys who teamed up to petition the Government over the rot.
We urge every parent to demand reports and proof of how money they have been made to pay was spent. They shouldn’t leave it in the hands of the designated few, as we have seen that they can’t be trusted.
Parents pay fees and other extra costs to ensure their children get good education and service at school and not to fatten the pockets of unscrupulous heads and SDC officials.
Online Reporter