Headteachers and school boards are misusing Free Primary Education cash on overseas trips, sitting allowances and other irregular activities, an investigation report reveals.
They also exaggerate enrolment records to attract more money, which they then divert to their personal needs, the report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission says.
The Government releases Sh1,420 for each pupil in primary schools every year.
The report, which was presented to Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Wednesday also shows that some school heads loan themselves as much as Sh100,000, which they often don’t pay. The money is also loaned to parents especially those sitting on management committees.
In one school in Nakuru County, a head teacher misled the chairman to sign a cheque for Sh3,000 but he later altered it to read Sh30,000 and cashed it.
Dr Matiang’i said the Government would from next year unveil a new system which would capture details on enrolment and disbursement.
“Parents will be able to check on how much has been allocated to their school every year,” he said, adding that the government had not been able to audit more than 30 per cent of resources allocated to schools yearly.
FORGING SIGNATURES
The report titled, Examination into the systems, policies, procedures and practices used in the disbursement and utilization of Free Primary Education (FPE) funds, was handed over by EACC chief executive Halakhe Waqo at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.
It revealed that some head teachers withdrew large amounts of money from school accounts and kept it in their offices even when there was no immediate need for cash payment.
“In most cases, the security of the school was inadequate and schools did not have cash saves to securely store the cash withdrawn. This is an opportunity for embezzlement and loss of the funds,” says the report, which also reveals massive irregularities in the procurement of text books for public schools.
The fraud ranges from forging of signatures, delivery of “ghost” books, overpricing and single sourcing of suppliers by Instructional Materials Selection Committees, says the report, which also blames the Teachers Service Commission for failing to take appropriate action against the culprits.
Mr Waqo said the penalties meted on teachers found to have misappropriated funds or stolen books was too light since they were either demoted or transferred.
“It is not sufficient to transfer teachers culpable of theft of funds, books and other materials to other schools,” said Mr Waqo, warning that the commission would go after those involved.
Source: Daily Nation
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