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Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
PHAKAMA Villagers in Ward 25, Matobo District are up in arms with Phakama Primary School (Annex) head whom they are accusing of misappropriating funds with reports that he refused to start a school project with over US$3 000 that was given to the school by a donor.
According to the local leadership, the school head, Mr Louis Ncube has allegedly been making the School Development Committee (SDC) members sign blank bank withdrawal slips and he withdraws amounts unknown to the committee with no record of what it was used for.
Allegations are also that a former SDC chairman has also been signing for money despite a new committee having been elected.
Mr Ncube has been the school head for the past 22 years. The school was established in 2001.
According to the local councillor, Thabo Fortune Ndebele, the community and the SDC had started to see anomalies in the manner in which the school was being run.
“We are trying to develop the school for the betterment of the children but some are pulling in different directions. The SDC said they have been made to sign blank bank withdrawal slips by the headmaster and they do not know how much he takes from the bank and for what use,” said Clr Ndebele.
“They (SDC) said the school head has never given a satisfactorily response on what the funds are for and why they sign the blank withdrawal slips. He is said to have told them that he keeps the signed slips for emergencies, arguing that the school may need funds when the SDC is away. Interestingly, the SDC Chairperson lives across from the school and will never be too far to reach,” he said.
The councillor revealed that when the local leadership including the village head and Chief Masuku called the SDC, the councillor revealed Mr Ncube allegedly barred them from attending the meeting.
“We called for a meeting with the SDC so that we hear their issues and the headmaster barred them from attending the Chief’s meeting. We found a donor in the third term of 2024 who paid school fees for all the learners at the school and we were so happy and the SDC said they wanted to carry out projects but they were barred by Mr Ncube. We wanted to also assist to find out how the funds can be used but he said the committee must not meet the chief,” said Clr Ndebele.
The donor is said to have paid US$3 100 to the school for the learners’ school fees and the committee wanted the funds to be put into good use and develop the school but the school head is alleged to be withdrawing it for unknown use.
Clr Ndebele revealed that the SDC cannot ascertain how much has been misused, as they allege the number spills into thousands as this misappropriation has been going on for years.
“We want investigations to be done and he states his case, we want an audit as stakeholders, then we know we are working with facts and figures and the law must take its course. Money does not come daily to such schools, so whenever a lumpsum comes their way it is good to develop the school in a transparent way. These are learners who are in unfortunate circumstances and it is only good that donor funds develop their school,” he added.
Chief Masuku who was asked to intervene on the matter said the school head has refused to come to dialogue.
“I asked the SDC and the headmaster to come and we hear the matter out and to see if the issues raised are real and what the challenges are but he refused to come. He even said the SDC must not attend the meeting. I had to summon the members one by one and they said indeed they were signing blank withdrawal slips, which stinks of corruption,” he said.
Chief Masuku said the school head has lost respect for the community members who are the parents of children who attend Phakama Primary School.
“A school head must lead by example and not shortchange parents. Again, as a leader here, I feel he is disrespectful in that I summoned him to my homestead so that I could hear his side of the story and we solve the matters accordingly, but he has refused. I treat him and all teachers as community members and when there are challenges, we must sit down together and solve them but he has refused,” he said.
Sunday News visited Phakama Primary School and Mr Ncube was unavailable at his office as he had gone to Maphisa Growth Point for a meeting. Several calls to his mobile number were unsuccessful as a person who answered the phone said Mr Ncube was far away and could not come to where the phone was.
— @NyembeziMu
Online Reporter