News / Education
Headmistress operates from wrong school
25 Apr 2013 at 05:24hrs | Views
THE Public Service Commission has directed Midlands provincial education director Mrs Agnes Gudo to investigate a case in which an acting headmistress in Gokwe South allegedly resisted moves to be transferred to a new station as substantive deputy headmistress.
After a week of investigating the matter, Chronicle established that the deputy head, Mrs Pepukai Seritha Chiedza, had been operating as acting head at St Paul's Primary School in Gokwe Town for almost a year.
According to documents Chronicle is in possession of, Mrs Chiedza was appointed a substantive deputy headmistress at another school in Gokwe South in June last year but instead remained acting head of St Pauls Primary.
"Mrs Pepukai Seritha Chiedza, the Acting Head of St Paul Primary School in Gokwe South District having
been promoted in June 2012 as the substantive Deputy Head of Chibasa Primary School only assumed duty (at the new school) on paper and appointed herself the Acting Head of St Pauls Primary school up to date," read part of the letter which Was addressed to the Gokwe South district education officer, Mr Daniel Mahefu.
The letter, which was written from the office of the Provincial Public Service Commission and directed to the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, ordered an investigation into the matter after it emerged that Mrs Chiedza's pay sheet forms and other work correspondence have been appearing as if she was now at Chibasa Primary School.
Sources close to the investigations said the Provincial Public Service inspector, Mr Andrew Chimanyiwa unearthed the anomaly when he recently visited Gokwe South.
"The Provincial Public inspector, Mr Chimanyiwa toured Gokwe South recently and this was when it was discovered that Mrs Chiedza did not move to her new station but continued as the acting head of St Pauls Primary. The matter was raised through the provincial education directors office and investigations are still going on," said the source.
Mrs Chiedza declined to comment on the issue when she was contacted yesterday.
Efforts to get comment from Mrs Gudo were fruitless as she was not responding to her mobile phone.
However, Mr Chimanyiwa confirmed the incident but declined to give further details.
"Yes, we have raised an issue of that nature with the education ministry and investigations are underway. That is all that I can say for now," he said.
After a week of investigating the matter, Chronicle established that the deputy head, Mrs Pepukai Seritha Chiedza, had been operating as acting head at St Paul's Primary School in Gokwe Town for almost a year.
According to documents Chronicle is in possession of, Mrs Chiedza was appointed a substantive deputy headmistress at another school in Gokwe South in June last year but instead remained acting head of St Pauls Primary.
"Mrs Pepukai Seritha Chiedza, the Acting Head of St Paul Primary School in Gokwe South District having
been promoted in June 2012 as the substantive Deputy Head of Chibasa Primary School only assumed duty (at the new school) on paper and appointed herself the Acting Head of St Pauls Primary school up to date," read part of the letter which Was addressed to the Gokwe South district education officer, Mr Daniel Mahefu.
The letter, which was written from the office of the Provincial Public Service Commission and directed to the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, ordered an investigation into the matter after it emerged that Mrs Chiedza's pay sheet forms and other work correspondence have been appearing as if she was now at Chibasa Primary School.
"The Provincial Public inspector, Mr Chimanyiwa toured Gokwe South recently and this was when it was discovered that Mrs Chiedza did not move to her new station but continued as the acting head of St Pauls Primary. The matter was raised through the provincial education directors office and investigations are still going on," said the source.
Mrs Chiedza declined to comment on the issue when she was contacted yesterday.
Efforts to get comment from Mrs Gudo were fruitless as she was not responding to her mobile phone.
However, Mr Chimanyiwa confirmed the incident but declined to give further details.
"Yes, we have raised an issue of that nature with the education ministry and investigations are underway. That is all that I can say for now," he said.
Source - TC
