AUDITORS from the Primary and Secondary Education ministry have exposed suspected embezzlement of funds at two secondary schools in Chivi and Bikita.
Masvingo provincial education director Zedius Chitiga confirmed the irregularities at Chongogwe Secondary School in Chivi and Manunure Satellite Secondary School in Bikita. Chitiga said they were not the only schools where fraud was unearthed. He also said all the perpetrators would be brought to book and every situation would be corrected according to the law.
“Audits were carried at various schools and the audits are intended to establish the existence of internal management systems as well as to find out if funds are used for intended purposes. All situations will be dealt with in line with the audit report. There is no irregularity unearthed which will not be dealt with. All perpetrators will be brought to book according to the regulations which governs us as the education sector,” Chitiga said.
According to an audit report which covered the period January 2015 to December 2016, Chongogwe deputy headmaster Lot Zivurawa received fees on his Eco-cash account which he allegedly later converted to his own use and the school is renting computers for $2 400 per term which translates to $7 200 a year. The five- year contract for the hiring of 60 computers from QRent is worth $36 000.
A receipt book was also missing from the school.
Manunure also reportedly lost $1 389 to a teacher-in-charge who failed to account for the money which he collected from pupils as levies. The same teacher only known as Munovapeyi J allegedly failed to fully acquit $3 412 withdrawn from a school bank account. He also allegedly fraudulently substituted duplicate receipts in a used receipt book.
The auditors gave various recommendations including disciplinary action against Zivurawa and Munovapeyi. — Masvingo Mirror
