Ndarama High School head in Masvingo, Oddy Matongo has barred an external forensic auditor from looking into the school’s books of accounts much to the chagrin of parents who have always complained against the alleged misuse of school funds.
Ndarama SDA chairman Martin Makweza said the auditor went to the school on Monday last week to get certain books of accounts but the head refused to hand them over insisting that the auditor must first look into previous sets of books.
However, the same books he wanted looked into are missing from the school and are allegedly being kept by a former SDA chairperson Enesia Chekacheke.Parents told The Mirror that the current SDA suspects systematic embezzlement of funds from the school.
Incidentally parents had to go to court to remove a previous chairperson Ray Muzenda who refused to step down after serving in that position for 18 years.
Matongo declined to comment and referred The Mirror to the District Schools Inspector (DSI) Ismael Chigaba. Chigaba said Ndarama is a Government school which can only be audited by Government auditors.
“We have Government auditors, they are the ones who can only carry out an audit at a Government school and not external auditors, that’s the procedure and parents may not be aware of that.
There are Government auditors who carried out an audit in January and the results were sent to the Ministry and they responded. We cannot continue to have auditors at the school,” said Chigaba
Parents added that Matongo’s reaction to the audit raises eyebrows.“Parents need clarity on school funds which are not being accounted for. They need clarity on a US$800 000 loan borrowed from BANC ABC whose purpose we up to now have not been furnished with.
There is also US$4 270 which the school authority used without banking. Parents are bitter with Matongo’s arrogance and we wonder as to who is backing him to act unlawfully,” said the parent on condition of anonymity.
Parents have successfully reversed the US$158 school fees allegedly imposed by Matongo and settled for US$80 a term.
Mirror
