Schools audit to be annual

Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
THE government will audit schools on an annual basis to promote transparency and proper management of funds and resources, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Lazarus Dokora, has said.

The Ministry ordered a school audit early this year after it emerged that most schools were misappropriating funds and so far indications are that millions of dollars were abused.

Minister Dokora told The Chronicle that as the Ministry unpacks the new education curriculum, there would be no room for undisciplined school authorities in the education system. “School heads must operate in a transparent, above board and inclusive framework. Audits will be conducted on an annual basis so that we quickly get rid of headmasters and other school officials who don’t share the same vision as the Ministry,” said Minister Dokora.

“We’ve no room for undisciplined individuals in our education system. Every professional must be responsible and self-guided so that we achieve our objectives and ambitions. Those without the required qualities will not be accepted in the system.”

He added that the Ministry would also monitor schools and make sure that building levies paid by parents are channelled towards their intended purposes.

“Some schools have been collecting building and bus levies from parents for years but surprisingly there are no new buildings and the buses haven’t been purchased. Schools will continue collecting the levies but we’ll monitor how they’re spent,” said Dokora.

Schools have condemned the decision by the Ministry to make schools pay for the recent audit, saying it is a violation of public service regulations.

The Ministry ordered the schools to pay more than half a million dollars towards accommodation, meals and fuel for the audit exercise.

School authorities are arguing that the Ministry was supposed to fund the audit or at least request audited statements from schools instead of deploying auditors.