Opinion / Columnist
Levels of corruption and impunity in Zimbabwe
14 Sep 2017 at 19:07hrs | Views
Good day,
Quite often I sit and wonder in which direction we are going as a country, the level of corruption and impunity that exists in Zimbabwe is just astronomical.
We at times are under the illusion that corruption and impunity only exist within central government as well as the ZRP traffic section etc you know the obvious visible culprits. It however also exists downstream as I have observed, in this context I refer to GVT schools both primary and secondary, getting a place there is often a nightmare with headmasters wielding incredible power and demanding payment from parents to get a place for your child. My son is at Alexandra Park Primary School and I have been a part of the school community for a number of years now, but never have I seen the level of corruption and impunity displayed by the Current head, Mr. Marume.
The sibling policy no longer applies in most cases, whether you have another child already at the school is now irrelevent preference is to those who are will to pay the school head. Amounts range from around 350-500 and in other cases I know of an incidence whereby a parent had to take care of the vehicle licencing of the heads car in exchange for a place.
One of the hot issues currently at the school is the Grade 3 school trip to Great Zimbabwe (Masvingo) as we are told its a part of the new curriculum requirements to visit heritage sites. Parents were informed at short notice and the trip cost $130 being organised by Dynasty Travel and Tours, with parents aware of a Head who likes to benefit from kickbacks, some confronted the school SDC and the head about the cost and why the school was outsourcing transportation and logistics yet we have a school bus at the school which would effectively reduce the total amount.The head is on record as having told parents to stay out of administrative issues as that was his call. Surprisingly in the past school trips involved parents in the planning process to get the best cost and ensure security of the kids. Another query was that our own bus driver is better equipped to deal with children, the deputy Head then got involved assuring parents that the school would revert to using the school bus, but surprisingly the cost has not changed.
Parents are still expected to sign the indemnity form from Dynasty Travel and Tours, why? I have no idea. Now doing the math
$130 x about 110 grade 3 learners = $14,300, how much diesel could a single bus possibly use, accomodation? that figure is a bit of and suspicion is risen even further when the head is making all the decisions by himself and doesnt want to be questioned.
Now with such impunity is there any GVT institution that can be singled out as not corrupt? We have raised the issue of bribes to the Ministry but to no avail, seems the Head is politically linked, eversince his arrival Psychology Maziwisa, George Charamba and the Deputy Minister Of Primary and Secondary education have enrolled their kids.
Who stands with the parents in such situations?
really concerned.
Quite often I sit and wonder in which direction we are going as a country, the level of corruption and impunity that exists in Zimbabwe is just astronomical.
We at times are under the illusion that corruption and impunity only exist within central government as well as the ZRP traffic section etc you know the obvious visible culprits. It however also exists downstream as I have observed, in this context I refer to GVT schools both primary and secondary, getting a place there is often a nightmare with headmasters wielding incredible power and demanding payment from parents to get a place for your child. My son is at Alexandra Park Primary School and I have been a part of the school community for a number of years now, but never have I seen the level of corruption and impunity displayed by the Current head, Mr. Marume.
The sibling policy no longer applies in most cases, whether you have another child already at the school is now irrelevent preference is to those who are will to pay the school head. Amounts range from around 350-500 and in other cases I know of an incidence whereby a parent had to take care of the vehicle licencing of the heads car in exchange for a place.
Parents are still expected to sign the indemnity form from Dynasty Travel and Tours, why? I have no idea. Now doing the math
$130 x about 110 grade 3 learners = $14,300, how much diesel could a single bus possibly use, accomodation? that figure is a bit of and suspicion is risen even further when the head is making all the decisions by himself and doesnt want to be questioned.
Now with such impunity is there any GVT institution that can be singled out as not corrupt? We have raised the issue of bribes to the Ministry but to no avail, seems the Head is politically linked, eversince his arrival Psychology Maziwisa, George Charamba and the Deputy Minister Of Primary and Secondary education have enrolled their kids.
Who stands with the parents in such situations?
really concerned.
Source - Sam Mpofu
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