Reports of questionable spending of R1.45 billion by the Limpopo education department are alarming and must be investigated, the Federation of Governing Bodies of SA Schools (Fedsas) has said.
Fedsas’ provincial manager in Limpopo Faan Visagie was reacting to a report that the Auditor-General had found there were questions relating to about R1.45 billion spent by the department during the 2009/10 financial year.
Visagie said Limpopo had about a third of the country’s schools, more than 1.7 million pupils, and one of the lowest matric pass rates in South Africa.
“This is one of the provinces that simply cannot afford to lose resources in this manner,” Visagie said.
Last year Limpopo’s matric pass rate was 48.9%, far below the country’s average of 60.7%.
“Parents and schools suffer financially and desperately need this money.”
Visagie said the national government budgeted billions of rand for education but the system failed at provincial level where misappropriation of funds and bad management destroyed all good intentions.
Fedsas demanded that the issue be investigated thoroughly.
The federation said the money should be recovered from the guilty parties and redirected to schools where it could be used in an appropriate manner.
Visagie said education leaders at national and provincial level should show strong leadership to prevent the education system in Limpopo from collapsing completely.
“Quality education includes quality education management,” he said.
Fedsas is a voluntary association representing 11 000 school governing bodies of public schools.
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