Principals and members of governing bodies see schools as cash cows to generate pocket money, according to research published in the SA Journal of Education. The research revealed the misuse of funds collected from school pupils, kickbacks and collusion.Principals confessed to University of Pretoria education faculty researchers that they claimed "too much for transport and trips as a result of temptation" and did so with "intentions for personal gain".The researchers interviewed principals, finance officers and education department officials in Limpopo.Most of the respondents said school governing bodies and principals lacked the knowledge and expertise to manage finances."Most of the principals were honest enough to shoulder the blame for the financial mismanagement at their school. They indicated that principals, teachers and members of governing bodies are embezzling as a result temptation," said the academics."Principals take financial records to their friends for auditing."They hide financial irregularities through collusion with auditors," said a department official.One principal added: "Most of the principals are just interested in appending signatures. Sometimes this authorises financial irregularities."The Pretoria academics recommended intensive training for those responsible for financial management in schools.They urged the Department of Basic Education to monitor and control the auditing of schools' financial books and to report cases of financial mismanagement.Department spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said education officials were aware of the misuse of funds in schools."We have partnered with Absa, which is using its own money - R10-million - to teach financial management to principals and school governing bodies," Mhlanga said...