The Limpopo education department instructed officials who organised a lavish bash at a hotel with funds from poor schools to cancel it because they failed to get three quotes for the event.
The instruction to the Pietersburg circuit office came days after head of department for education Onica Dederen issued a circular prohibiting circuit managers and schools from holding strategic planning workshops and other training sessions at commercial venues without her approval.
Despite Dederen signing the circular on February 15, the Pietersburg circuit office sent a letter to schools, dated February 19, inviting principals to a two-day event at the Ranch Hotel “to celebrate excellent performance and strategise for effective management in schools”.
The event was scheduled for February 25 and 26, and the cost per principal was R2,800, including R1,100 for catering and presenter fees, and R1,700 for two nights’ accommodation.
The invited primary schools were asked to focus on last year’s Grade 3 and 6 results in maths, home language and first additional language, while secondary schools were to look at Grade 9, 10 and 11 results.
The event was also meant to be a farewell function for principals and a departmental official who had retired.
Sunday Times Daily has seen a copy of proof of payment of R2,800 that was deposited by a school into the account of the organisers.
The Pietersburg circuit falls under the Capricorn South district, which was declared the best performer among all districts in Limpopo in last year’s matric exams.
Limpopo was the worst-performing province nationally, after achieving a 66.7% pass rate.
The Pietersburg circuit falls under the Capricorn South district, which was declared the best performer among all districts in Limpopo in last year’s matric exams.
Dederen’s circular stated that the department had observed a “developing detrimental trend”, with some circuit managers arranging these strategic planning workshops and other training at “high-priced lodges far from their circuits and even beyond the demarcations of their districts”.
“This practice goes against the basic values and principles of governing public administration, where efficient, economic and effective use of resources is emphasised.”
Shumani Thomoli, chairperson of the National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) in Limpopo, informed Dederen in a letter that the invitation by the Pietersburg circuit contradicted the circular she had issued prohibiting events at commercial venues without first seeking permission.
“If they want to celebrate their excellent performance, they can choose a school hall which will be free. Principals can utilise their school halls for strategic planning. There is no need to use norms and standards funding to pay for expensive lodges and hotels.”
He said officials who violated the policy must be charged.
Thomoli told Sunday Times Daily he believed the event at the Ranch Hotel was cancelled because of pressure from his organisation.
“The schools are very poor and it’s a wastage of money. The officials’ planning doesn’t assist them because they are number last. They need to come up with a new strategy.”
Limpopo education’s deputy director-general, Martin Mashaba, said the recent issue of training a huge number of newly appointed principals, deputies and heads of department gave rise to the circular.
“There was a risk that some of this training could be conducted in very expensive commercial venues. Permission thus has to be granted by the head of department considering the reasons advanced by the circuit office.
“Other meetings are not regulated by that circular and are approved as part of the normal approval of circuit activities. Planning sessions can continue at commercial venues with normal permission.”
The schools are very poor and it’s a wastage of money.
— Shumani Thomoli, chairperson, National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB)
He confirmed the event was cancelled because three quotes were not sourced when procuring the venue, “which is against the financial prescripts”.
Asked to comment on the R2,800 that was requested from each delegate to attend the function, he said funding activities of the school were done according to the budget drawn up and approved by the governing body.
“When expenditure of this nature needs to be incurred, the governing body will consider its own financial position and either approve or decline the request. Therefore, the consideration of this particular cost will be done by the governing body.”
Mashaba said the department “is indeed concerned about any reported abuse of school funds by schools”.
“Where these are reported, they are investigated and action taken against the alleged culprits.”
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