DCEC probes Central region's misappropriation of development fees

Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday June 11, 2024 13:07

Lentswe Motshoganetsi, the DCEC public relations and communications officer, has told The Monitor that they received reports alleging misuse of development and PTA funds within the Central region. “After conducting preliminary enquiries we found out that there were no records kept for administration of the said funds,” he said. According to Motshoganetsi, they have sent their Corruption Prevention Division to conduct an audit and provide some remedial measures. He further stated that the audit is ongoing and they believe it will provide permanent solutions to seal the identified loopholes.

Following reports that parents are failing to pay school fees, former national Parents, Teachers Association (PTA) chair and Central region chairperson, Edward Moganana told The Monitor that parents are not failing to pay school development fees but are reluctant mainly due to misappropriation of public funds. He further said there are minor cases where parents cannot afford to pay the development fees mainly due to a lack of resources to raise such funds. “In most cases, it's how and where funds are utilised and usage isn't accounted for and in accordance to the laid procedures as stipulated in the PTA constitution and the current PTA guidelines,” he added.

Moganana further said there are currently many reports, some handled by DCEC and the Minister of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) seems to be reluctant to the subject matter. He indicated that out of 343 schools in the Central region about 220 are being investigated over misuse of funds. He also shared that some of the PTA committees have decided to engage other law enforcement units for intervention. Additionally, he stated disturbing allegations of most extreme cases that once the PTA committees raise a concern about the usage and/or misappropriation of public funds, such committees will be dissolved and a new one elected in its place without showing any remorse. Therefore, he said that some of the PTA committees seek legal protection and respect.

Moganana suggested that MoESD should consider giving PTA the responsibility to handle development fees to prevent financial mismanagement. He explained that under the Botswana PTA constitution, all the funds for the association shall be passed to the treasurer of the association at any particular structure and the funds shall be deposited to the bank approved by the association. The former national PTA chair declared that the association's financial books will be audited annually by a respectable accounting firm and that the association's fiscal year will conclude on March 31 of each year. Last year, MoESD's Douglas Letsholathebe revealed in Parliament that parents owe public schools close to P4 million in unpaid school fees. Letsholathebe explained that parents' reluctance and/or failure to pay school fees is the reason why government is sometimes unable to meet every learner’s needs.