Stinking school heads' great heist

Parents and guardians in Manicaland have raised alarm over what they describe as growing financial exploitation by school headmasters, who are allegedly misusing public funds and imposing unofficial levies under the guise of cultural and sporting events.

As schools across the province marked Africa Day today, many instructed learners to pay between US$1 and US$5 to wear traditional African attire, while others reportedly went further by compelling parents to purchase outfits directly from the schools - with prices ranging from US$10 for shirts to US$30 for dresses.

Parents say the practice mirrors the previously banned "Civvies Day" tradition, which allowed learners to wear casual clothes for a fee. Despite a government ban on the practice, schools appear to have rebranded and revived it in new forms, with similar financial demands and little transparency on how the money is used.

"I am baffled by the schools' demand for US$1 from learners to celebrate Africa Day," said a parent from Mutare. "Some schools are selling the attire themselves. This turns a cultural celebration into a business venture. It's an unnecessary burden on us, and we need transparency."

Many parents argue these fees were not discussed or approved at school Annual General Meetings (AGMs), and question the legality of the headmasters' actions.

School authorities have attempted to justify the charges, claiming the funds will go towards school maintenance. However, parents insist such expenses are already covered by School Development Committee (SDC) contributions and other official budget lines.

The controversy follows last term's revelations that several Manicaland school heads travelled to Hwange to attend the National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) national ball games - even though no learners from their schools were participating. According to sources, some received travel and subsistence allowances ranging from US$700 to US$1,200, excluding accommodation and meals, prompting allegations of financial abuse.

Contacted for comment, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Mr. Taungana Ndoro expressed concern over both the financial demands on parents and the misallocation of travel funds by school authorities.

"The Ministry strongly condemns any misuse of school resources, including travel and subsistence allowances, for purposes unrelated to the direct benefit of learners or school development," he said. "Attendance without legitimate educational justification constitutes a breach of accountability and will be treated accordingly."

Mr. Ndoro emphasised that headmasters are only permitted to attend events if their learners are participating, or if they have received formal invitations from the event's organising body for administrative duties.

He also addressed the Africa Day fees, stating: "No financial demands should be imposed on parents and guardians outside the formal school fees structure approved by Government. All learners, regardless of socioeconomic background, must be allowed to participate freely in cultural or civic events."

To curb misuse of funds, the Ministry has introduced stringent auditing mechanisms and encouraged parents, communities and educators to report suspected abuses through district and provincial education offices.

"Any irregularities identified will be subject to disciplinary action, including potential restitution or legal consequences," Mr. Ndoro added.

As schools face growing scrutiny, parents are calling for urgent reforms to ensure accountability and fairness in the management of public education resources - and an end to what they see as the commodification of school events at the expense of struggling families.