Parents from Cingco Day Care Centre in Tsolo are appealing to the Department of Education to release funds for nutrition for their children, as they say that it was stopped by this department.
According to the chairperson for the local Headman’s Committee, Fumanekile Mzantsi, the department stopped giving them funds due to the conflict taking place between parents and school management, since January.
“Some of the parents came to our headman to report that the principal of this centre, Nonzukiso Yaso, did not want to account for the funds of this centre. She reported the matter to the department,” said Mzantsi.
He confirmed that this centre was started by the community members and was supported by the Department of Social Development before the Department of Education took over.
According to him, it was surviving by donations from the local area, and the Department of Education was also assisting before this conflict started.
“What we want is that the department must release funds for nutrition so that children can get food while we are trying to solve this problem.”
The principal of the school, Nonzukiso Yaso, confirmed that the department had stopped giving them funds due to the misunderstanding between the school management and the community members.
“I can confirm that the department is not assisting due to the misunderstanding that is taking place.
“They want me to account to them about the funds. According to my knowledge I am accounting to the department and submit all documents to the department for auditing if there is a need to do so,” said Yaso.
Spokesperson for the Department of Education, Mali Mtima, confirmed that the department knows about this situation.
He said that the department is working hard to engage all parties involved in the matter so that they can find a solution.
“The community members failed to follow the right procedure to dissolve the board of the school and remove Yaso (principal). Unfortunately, by law the resolved board and the removed principal are the only people who are to account to the department and to lead the institution; therefore, the school cannot be funded because there is no leadership.
“When we fund we have to send it to the recognised board, and to an account of the school, so the board and principal work together to ensure that the money is spent accordingly,” said Mtima.
He added that they cannot deposit the funds now, because they do not know who they can deposit it to.
He said that should they deposit it, who would be accountable because there are formal procedures in place to be followed to do these things.
“You cannot deposit money in a chaotic state, because those who were officially appointed are no longer there.”
