Inkwenkwezi Primary parents get fed up with misuse of funds

Frustrated parents and guardians gathered at Inkwenkwezi Primary School for a peaceful protest to raise their concerns on the issue of dilapidating conditions at the school on August 18.

One of the burning issues they raised was allegations of misuse of school funds by the school principal which result in learners not having access to proper resources.

According to Section 34 of the South African Schools Act, the state must fund public schools from public revenue on an equitable basis to ensure proper exercise of the rights of learners to education and the redress of past inequalities in education provision.

ALSO READ: CoJ and Spar donate 10 000 pairs of school shoes

The Act further states that the School Governing Body (SGB) must take all reasonable measures within its means to supplement the resources supplied by the state in order to improve the quality of education provided by the school to all learners.

The SGB is legally responsible for drawing up a draft budget which becomes binding once the majority of parents vote during a General Meeting of Parents to approve it.

Unconfirmed reports by the furious parents who forcefully closed the gates at the school during the protest suggest that they have not had a General Meeting of Parents with the school management in a while.

Especially when it comes to the discussion of finance management and that most decisions are made by the principal without their knowledge and that of the SGB.

The SGB chairperson of Inkwenkwezi Primary School, Monde Ace Matjena alleged that the school principal was suspended for two months last year for the same allegations and when the SGB took the matter to the Department of Education District Office no measures were taken to resolve the situation.

ALSO READ: Lucas Radebe Foundation visits local school

“Parents are fed up with the authoritative leadership by the principal because it is affecting the future and education of the learners.

“Last year we had a challenge whereby learners had no access to exam material and as the SGB we had to reach out to certain officials from the District Office who borrowed exam material from other schools in Diepsloot so that exams could continue,” Matjena said.

He added that in April the SGB decided to change the school bank card but a duplicate card was made without the knowledge of the SGB or legal signatories and money kept on disappearing from the school account.

One of the frustrated parents who choose to remain unnamed said the safety of the learners is being compromised since some insist on leaving their homes early so that they have access to chairs.

“Our children can’t have access to learning infrastructure all because of the principal’s incompetence. They still use bricks and buckets and the school is in horrendous conditions.

“If our dissatisfactions are not heard we will continue closing the school gate because we want our children to have quality education.”

After the wait, members of the SGB finally had a meeting with the Department of Health’s Safety and Security Unit team and director, Vusi Mashinini who promised to respond to them on September 06 after a meeting with the Department of Education District Office.

“An investigation into the matter will be launched and the SGB members and parents will be notified on the outcomes. Necessary measures will also be taken as per the outcome of the investigation,” Mashini said during the meeting with the SGB.

Urban News tried to reach out to Inkwenkwezi Primary School principal but was denied access into the school premise.