Stop milking parents, education minister tells principals

The minister of education, arts and culture, Anna Nghipondoka, says the ministry has noted with great concern that some schools do not provide parents with financial accountability reports, while at the same time continuing to demand contributions of them.

She says the ministry has allocated N$184,9 million to school grants, and the process of transferring funds to schools has commenced and will be ongoing.

“I hereby humbly request schools to exercise patience, while the head office is finalising the transfer process,” Nghipondoka says.

“Also, we have noted with great concern that some schools do not give financial accountability reports to parents, but instead continue to demand contributions from them – uncontrollably.

“We should all be accountable in our work and solicit parental intervention after we have made them understand how we have spent the funds allocated to our schools by the government.

“Parental contributions are still very much needed, but it should be in consultation with parents in order to meet the government halfway,” the minister says.

She says many schools suffer financially at the beginning of the year as they do not budget according to the academic cycle.

“Many schools cry foul at the beginning of the academic year because their funds have been depleted before the end of the financial year, which usually ends at the end of March each year.

“Dear principals, budget execution should encompass internal efficiency and getting more done with the available resources.
“The emphasis should be on prioritisation, and should also be in the best interests of pupils so that learning can be meaningful and rewarding,” Nghipondoka says.

The minister urges regional councils and education directorates to procure stationery speedily for schools to be well prepared for the 2024 academic year.

The ministry has budgeted N$88 million to be distributed among schools for stationery.

“History has taught us that some regions have a chronic culture of procurement infighting and procrastination, which has a detrimental effect on educational outcomes and denies schools and pupils opportunities owed to them to perform to the best of their abilities.

“I would therefore like to urge the regional councils and directorates to desist from such acts, because it hampers the developmental and preparedness agenda of schools.

“Schools should be sensitive to the socio-economic spectrum of our parents and greatly shorten the usually long lists of stationery requested from parents, and rather request the bare essentials schools are not able to procure,” the minister says.