Fake school head

Phyllis Kachere on 05 October, 2009 02:35:00
 
IN a case that has exposed loopholes in the management of schools by the
education authorities, a daring teacher imposed himself as acting headmaster of
St Joseph’s High School (Mqabuko High School) in Matabeleland South before
defrauding the learning institution out of more than US$1 600 and R3 000 in
tuition fees and levies.
Henessy Dube claimed that the parent Ministry of Education, Sports, Arts and
Culture had transferred him from St Columba’s High School in Bulawayo to
become the substantive deputy head of St Joseph’s High, which did not have a
head at the time.
He later took charge of the school on July 29 this year and immediately assumed
control of the safe and strong room. A senior official in the Matabeleland South
education directorate confirmed the case, saying Dube’s defective transfer
came to light after ministry staffers noticed that his papers were not
authentic.
It was also discovered that the relevant authorities had not sanctioned his
take-over of the administration of the school. The official said the fake
headmaster was arrested last month, but later escaped from police custody.
“Henessy Dube took advantage of the fact that when he arrived at St
Joseph’s, there were only eight out of an establishment of 31 teachers and
there was no substantive school head,” said the official in an interview last
Friday.
“He claimed that since he was coming in as substantive deputy head, he was the
only senior person to assume full administration of the school.
“No handover-takeover procedure was conducted when he took over the keys to
the safe and strong room.”
Meanwhile, two school development committee members and two clerks at Sanyati
Baptist High School in Mashonaland West were last week arrested for
misappropriating fees and levies at the school.
Allegations are that on April 23 this year, school development committee
treasurer Mr G. T. Rukainga bought a safe on behalf of the school at a cost of
R400.
He allegedly tampered with the receipt and made it read R1 400 before claiming
reimbursement four days later. Committee secretary Mr Mudzanire received US$5
000 to pay several service providers. He, however, allegedly settled one bill of
US$1 000 and embezzled the remainder.
Members of the committee also allegedly paid themselves hefty sums of money in
sitting allowances as well as travel and subsistence claims. Sources said the
two clerks who were also nabbed failed to account for the US$1 187 they
receipted between January and March. The sources said the net was closing in on
corrupt heads and development committee members.
They said arrest and disciplinary action await, among others, the head and
chairman of Zimre Primary School in Mashonaland East who both allegedly
misappropriated more than US$3 000.
The head allegedly failed to account for US$2 300 and has since repaid almost
US$200 to offset the embezzled amount. His chairman, on the other hand, failed
to account for US$1 289.
In the largest haul so far, a clerk at Matinunura High School in Gweru is unable
to account for US$50 000 while the head and school committee could not account
for US$6 162.
Police confirmed they were pursuing such cases with a view to bringing the
culprits to book. The Deputy Minister of Education, Sports, Art and Culture, Cde
Lazarus Dokora, also castigated school committees for seeking self-enrichment.
He said they should not award themselves sitting allowances as their services
are purely voluntary.
“Parents must report such members who pay themselves allowances or claim
travel costs as their services should be on a voluntary basis,” he said.