• ZANEC is concerned about the reports regarding some Head teachers who are misusing the funds that are going to schools.
• The support that government is giving to schools can only benefit learners if there is prudence and effective financial management systems.
• Teachers or school managers involved in examination malpractices must face the law.

Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) has called for prudent and effective financial management systems in schools in order for learners to benefit from the support that government is providing to learning institutions.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, ZANEC Executive Director George Hamusunga stated that the organization is concerned about the reports regarding some Head teachers who are misusing the funds that are going to schools.
Mr. Hamusunga said it is gratifying to note money is now going directly to the points of service, hence people who are misusing the resources or those trying to undermine the system, need to be punished severely in order to deter would-be offenders.
He called on the District Education Board Secretaries (DEBS) to continue providing oversight on schools with regards to expenditure on the funding that government is giving to learning institutions.
“We are concerned about the reports that are concerning some Head teachers who are misusing the funding that is going to schools and some of the teachers who are involved in examination malpractices. We need to state categorically that the support that government is giving to schools can only benefit our learners if there is prudence and effective financial management systems within our schools.”
“Therefore we would like to call upon the District Education Board Secretaries (DEBS) to continue providing oversight on schools in terms of expenditure on the funding that is going directly to schools. I think it’s a positive thing that we have seen that money now is going directly to the points of service and this is why for those who are misusing money or those who are trying to undermine this system, we need to ensure that they are punished severely, in order to send a message to others,” Mr. Hamusunga
Meanwhile, Mr. Hamusunga said teachers or school managers involved in examination malpractices must face the law because the act has the ability to lower the quality of education.
“It is the same with examination malpractices, we don’t expect any teacher or school managers to be found wanting in terms of supporting learners to pass who do not have the required competencies.
This is what is affecting our quality of education where we have people claiming to have qualifications but they do not have any competencies to demonstrate that they have gone through any form of learning. So it is something that we need to start punishing severely as a country because it has the ability to lower the quality of education,” he stated.
Mr. Hamusunga was reacting to the arrest of a Petauke Boarding Secondary School Head teacher for Abuse of Authority of Office involving over K 21,000, as well as a Head Teacher at Kwashamukwenu Community Primary School for examination malpractices.
According to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Petauke Head Teacher identified as Simeon Sayenela Lungu, abused the authority of his office in the manner he arbitrary authorized Daily Subsistence Allowances (DSA) and loan payments to himself, and five other members of staff, using public funds, between 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2020.