'School misappropriating funds'

THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is investigating allegations of mismanagement at a Boland school made by a former Grade R teacher.

Albertina Lehana said she worked at Klapmuts Hill Primary School from January 2023 until she was dismissed on 14 May because she was allegedly questioning the school over the mismanaging of funds.

Lehana explains: “Finances are not being handled in a correct procedure. The money does not get paid into the school’s bank account. Money is being borrowed from the school’s account and not paid back.

“I was called in for a disciplinary hearing regarding the investigation I was doing as I have been raising concern in the School Governing Body meetings with the finance committee and they promised to rectify the issues. Until today it was never resolved and swept under the rug. The outcome of the hearing was to terminate my contract as from 14 May.

“The school has fundraisers such as civies every Friday where the learners pay R5 and that money is not being banked.

“When I questioned why the money was not banked, I was told that the school does not have enough money to pay the volunteers. There was a missing amount of money which was taken from the school account and I would question why the money was never paid back.

“The school got a donation of uniforms for the learners, but they just let the learners wear that uniform for that day to take pictures and then the uniform was taken back to be sold.”

She claimed that another issue was that T-shirts were allegedly bought with the school’s money for the teachers, but the educators paid the money back but the funds were also never deposited into the school account.

Millicent Merton of the WCED, says: “A thorough assessment of the school’s income and expenses including financial processes and procedures is underway. The school’s finances are managed by a finance committee.

“The educator’s contract was terminated following a disciplinary hearing.”