The school
purchased the bus early this year for a reported price of US$220 000, allegedly
without floating a tender from the money raised under the bus fund levied to
parents for over two years.
However,
parents are alleging that the price for the bus could have been grossly
inflated by the school administrators led by the school head, a Mr Damiso.
Mr Damiso has
since been placed on forced leave by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary
Education to facilitate the investigations.
He declined to
comment and said: “As you know, I am not allowed to speak of the Press.”
Manicaland
Provincial Education Director, Mr Richard Gabaza said they have launched a
full-scale investigation at the school to look at both financial and
non-financial issues.
“The ministry
went to the ground and managed to calm the situation because it had gone out of
hand. Peace and order was restored last Friday, and normalcy is now prevailing
at the school. Parents had withdrawn learners from the classrooms, so we
employed the Whole of Government Approach where we had a number of Government
departments at the school to engage the parents. We had a meeting with the
community and they understood us. The community was very unequivocal that there
is bad blood between them and the headmaster. They recommended the headmaster’s
transfer from the school.
“We still have
to look into the matter. This issue emanates from the bus –how it was
purchased, its hiring and the funds that were received through hiring. They
wanted some form of accountability which they claim is not there. There was no
longer trust, confidence and transparency. We are sending auditors next week to
carry out an investigative audit inspection.
“The district
office as well is sending their own investigating team to look into
non-financial issues that were raised. It will be a full-scale investigation.
The headmaster was not send on forced leave, it was negotiated that he applies
for his leave days and was granted,” said Mr Gabaza.
The parents
further claimed that the bus was not ‘handed’ over to them officially, and is
being hired out without their knowledge and consent.
There are also
allegations that the school is charging parents ‘local school’ examination fees
on top of approved fees.
A member of the
School Development Committee who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the
school funds are being handled in an opaque manner, and claimed that the ‘local
school’ exam fees are not being receipted.
The SDC member
added that infrastructure has deteriorated at the school, while classrooms are
operating without adequate furniture and stationery.
“The
demonstration by the parents was caused by the purchase of a school bus. The
bus arrived at the school five months ago, but there was no handover process.
The bus has since been hired out more than 10 times, but there is no
accountability on how much is being charged and where the money is going. The
bus has been hired to faraway places like Gokwe, Mbungo in Masvingo and others.
“Parents were
also complaining about being forced to pay the ‘local school’ examination fees
of US$1 per learner, yet there were no receipts being issued. Schools fees is
now being diverted into the bus fund, yet classrooms have no benches and
textbooks.
“The bus, we
heard was bought for US$220 000 without going to tender. Only one supplier was
picked to supply the bus. When we requested for the paperwork pertaining the
bus purchase, the headmaster adamantly refused. The headmaster is not reporting
for work as we understand he was put on forced leave to facilitate
investigations into the issues raised by the parents,” said the SDC member.
Manica Post
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