Malawi 2019 elections: Who is in charge of the circus?

Doroba Primary School teachers have vacated their houses for fear of the community who are accusing them of mismanaging funds under the School Improvement Grant (SIG).

The school received K767 106 for procurement of learning and teaching materials and maintenance of school buildings.

But Chikoya Village Development Committee chairperson Idah Ngulube said school authorities failed to account for the money.

“As a committee, we carried out a public expenditure tracking and we found some anomalies.

“In fear, all nine teachers left the area and have since found houses in Mzuzu, 15 kilometres away,” shesaid.

Ngulube said this has affected the delivery of education in the area.

“Pupils spend some days without classes because the teachers do not always come for duty,” she said.

Doroba Primary School head teacher Brownson Silwimba admitted that school houses have been abandoned, but dismissed accusations of mismanagement of funds.

He said teachers have left the area for safety reasons due to a fight between two tribes over encroachment of land owned by the school.

“One tribe started threatening us; hence, leaving the area,” he said.

However, Youth and Society project officer Sylvester Kapondera, whose organisation is implementing Strengthening Citizen Participation in Budget Processes project in M’mbelwa District Council, said every stakeholder should be represented during planning and procurement of goods and services under the grant if such suspicions are to end.

“Before this project, citizens were unaware of their role and responsibilities.

“Furthermore, they were not aware that they could track SIG and other funds,” he said.