School head chases away auditors

Zim Now Writer

Amid allegations of misuse of funds by parents, a head master at a Masvingo school has barred external auditors from looking into the institution from looking into the school’s books of accounts.

Ndarama High School head Oddy Matongo reportedly refused to hand over the books following a request by the auditors who went to the school on Monday, according to Ndarama SDA chairman Martin Makweza.

The head s said to have insisted that the auditors must first look at the previous books, which are missing from the school and are allegedly being kept by a former SDA chairperson, Enesia Chekacheke.

Parents said that the current SDA suspects systematic embezzlement of funds from the school.

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 inquiries to the District Schools Inspector, 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

Matongo’s reaction to the audit, parents allege, 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 BancABC 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 fought the US$158 school fees which Matongo imposed and settled for US$80 a term.