School heads should not handle funds

Last week Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i visited a number of schools and saw for himself the sorry state of financial records kept by head teachers.

That head teachers were unable to explain or justify how monies sent by the ministry had been spent, speaks volume about the level of mismanagement in our schools.

The Education ministry must liaise with the Treasury to have accountants who are transferable from school to school sent to manage finances.

Exploit loophole

This will not only ensure prudence in management of resources, but it will also give head teachers ample time to concentrate on managing schools.

I have never seen a doctor managing hospital funds or a head of human resource department. They are all served by accounts departments.

Yet head teachers have exploited a loophole that places them in charge of both management and finances.

As a result, these clerks lack the ability to question some of the decisions made by head teachers.