EASTERN PROVINCE

NGOMA — Parents of students  studying at Mutendeli Secondary School in Ngoma District have reacted angrily over the suspension of the school head teacher, Oswald Sebazindutsi.

The parents say the suspension, was baseless and that there could be a hidden motive behind his suspension, which the district did not want to reveal.

Sebazindutsi, was suspended last week by a closed district security meeting, on accusations of failing to pay school creditors to the tune of Rwf83m.

The suspension was based on an audit carried out by the district internal auditor, Protais Rubibi, which among other matters discovered flouting of tendering procedures by the head teacher.

The auditor’s report blamed the school’s heavy debt burden on Sebazindutsi’s poor financial management, as he headed every department of the school.

However, during a parents’ meeting convened on Tuesday at the school, parents dismissed the auditor’s report and castigated the district’s action.

The parents said the school owes its creditors Rwf38m contrary to Rwf83m which was indicated in the auditor’s report.

They argued that the school was bound to incur debts after undertaking building work amid the growing number of students.

"We accumulated theses debts in 2007 when we decided to build new classroom blocks and all parents were aware of it,” Aimable Rubona, the head of the Parents Committee said.

He added, "We have since then struggled as parents together with the school to pay the creditors … this should not have been a reason to suspend him without even the parents’ knowledge.”

The school that started with only two classrooms in 1998 with 86 students now has 26 class rooms with over 1,000 students.

Close to 120 students from vulnerable families are getting free education at the school.

Scores of parents at the meeting said Sebazindutsi has steered the school to another level of excellence and he has given scholarships to their children who could not afford tuition fees.

When contacted, Sebazindutsi, who is also the President of Mutendeli Sector Advisory Council (SAC), and the chairman of Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) in the sector, also questioned the manner in which he was suspended.

"I know I was not suspended because of what was included in the auditor’s report as indicated in the suspension letter. The Mayor [Francois Niyotwagira] and other people behind him have all along wanted me out of that school for reasons well known to them. Neither is it the first or the second time he has tried to suspend me indefinitely from my job but he has failed because of not showing clear reasons why I have to leave,” he said.

However, Niyotwagira, denied any ill motive for suspending Sebazindutsi, saying "We suspended him so that he doesn’t jeopardize further investigations into financial mismanagement of Rwf83m as there was no proper accountability.”

"Besides, we did not suspend him indefinitely. But if it is found out that he used the money for his personal ends he will definitely face the exit and he will have to be questioned on the whereabouts of that money,” he added.

The school resumed on Monday for the second term but Sebazindutsi’s office remains closed and guarded by a local defence personnel.

The Mayor said this is done to prevent Sebazindutsi from sneaking in to steal documents that may be used in the investigations.

Ends