Stinking school heads’ great heist

 

Ray Bande
Senior Reporter

THE propensity of school headmasters to splurge funds on attending functions — including sporting events in which no learner from their respective institutions are participating, as well as their tradition of imposing financial demands on parents and guardians outside the formal school fees structure approved by Government — is continuing unabated.

Today, most schools in Manicaland are taking time to commemorate Africa Day, and learners at various schools were instructed to pay between US$1 and US$5 in order to dress in traditional African attire of their choice.

Some schools are forcing parents to buy the attires from them, charging between US$10 and US$30 for a shirt and dress respectively.

This is reminiscent of the ‘Civvies Day’ tradition, which was long banned by Government; although many schools have now reinvented the concept under different names and modus operandi.

The demand for children to pay US$1 for Africa Day commemorations and the banned ‘Civvies Day’ has opened a can of worms, with parents and guardians questioning the intended purpose of the payment.

They argued that the money will not be accounted for, and will likely form part of the funds that will be misappropriated without accountability.

Parents and guardians complained that no such demands were presented during the schools’ Annual General Meetings (AGMs), raising concerns about the source of the school heads’ authority to impose this additional financial burden.

School authorities attempted to justify the move, claiming that the funds will be used for school maintenance.

However, parents and guardians pointed out that such costs are typically covered by the School Development Committee (SDC) funds.

“I am baffled by the schools’ demand for US$1 from learners to celebrate Africa Day. Some schools have taken it a step further, selling African attire to learners. This is effectively turning Africa Day celebrations into a lucrative business venture. What is the justification for this extra cost? It is an unnecessary burden on us, just like the resuscitated Civvies Day, and we need transparency on how the funds will be used,” complained a parent in Mutare.

Only last term, a number of school heads from Manicaland attended the National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) national ball games finals in Hwange, despite many of them not having a single learner from their school participating at the event.

The Manica Post also understands that some of the school heads received allowances ranging between US$700 and US$1 200 – excluding accommodation and food expenses, for simply attending the annual national schools’ sporting competition.

When contacted for comment on this trend, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson, Mr Taungana Ndoro said school heads should only attend events where their learners will be participating, or if their presence has been formally requested by the organising body for administrative purposes.

This is far from the case with most school heads from the province, who allegedly exploit such occasions for personal jaunts, squandering money in the process.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education acknowledges the critical role that school sports play in fostering talent, discipline and teamwork among learners. Provincial and national sporting events are vital platforms for learners to showcase their abilities, and we encourage schools to participate actively where their learners are involved.

“However, the Ministry strongly condemns any misuse of school resources, including travel and subsistence (T and S) allowances, for purposes unrelated to the direct benefit of learners or school development.

“Headmasters and school authorities are entrusted with the responsibility to prioritise the judicious use of public funds in line with the Public Finance Management Act and the Ministry’s Circular 12 of 2021, which explicitly outlines protocols for school-funded travel.

“Our position is clear — headmasters should only attend such events if their learners are participating, or if their presence is formally requested by organising bodies for administrative roles. Attendance without legitimate educational justification constitutes a breach of accountability, and will be treated accordingly,” said Mr Ndoro.

Going forward, Mr Ndoro urged communities, parents and educators to report any suspected abuses of school resources.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has instituted stringent auditing mechanisms to monitor school expenditures, and any irregularities identified will be subject to disciplinary action, including potential restitution or legal consequences. We urge communities, parents and educators to report any suspected abuses of resources through our district or provincial education offices,” he said.

Regarding the practice of learners paying money to dress in attire of their choice on specific occasions, Mr Ndoro said no financial demands should be imposed on parents and guardians outside formal school fees structure approved by Government.

“All learners, regardless of their socioeconomic background, must be allowed to participate freely in cultural or civic events, including Africa Day. Schools must adhere to the Public Finance Management Act, ensuring that no financial demands are imposed outside formal school fees structure approved by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education,” said Mr Ndoro.