Gov’t subsidy delays affecting schools-report

Schools implementing the 9-Year Basic Education programme are experiencing difficulties due to delays in receiving capitation grants, according to a report conducted by Transparency Rwanda International (TI-RW).A capitation grant is a Rwf3,500 subsidy government allocates to every pupil/student in the 9YBE and other primary schools.The findings are a result of a survey conducted countrywide between August last year and April this year, with the aim of checking on the transparency in channelling the annual funds government allocates to schools.According to the report, schools do not get funds at the same time but delays worsened in 2010 when some schools received the funds almost three months from the due period.This leads to poor implementation of action plans in schools and has a strong negative impact on the way teachers carry out their activities, the report says.During the launch of the report, the chairperson of the watchdog, Marie Immaculee Ingabire, called on stakeholders in the education sector to work towards improving the current state of affairs.“Yes, the programme has really boosted enrolment and decreased dropouts but at this time when it is being extended to 12 YBE, efforts must be made to speed up the process.”When contacted, the Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Mathias Harebamungu, blamed the delays on the Ministry of Finance.However, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Pichette Sayinzoga Kampeta, says there were no such delays in responding to district requests.“When districts forward their requests for funds, as a Ministry, funds must be channeled to them within 14 days,” she maintained.She pointed out that all arising delays solely concern the district authorities. About the leakage of funds during procurement, the report says 80 per cent believe the process is transparent and that funds reach or benefit the intended beneficiaries.About 70.2 per cent of the respondents say teachers and parents are part of the management team of the funds, while 66.4 say parents are still being asked to pay an extra fee that has led to 10.1 per cent of pupils expelled after their parents failing to pay.“This is a violation of pupils` rights to education that the law clearly gives to every child no matter the economic stand of their parents,” noted Apollinaire Mupinganyi, TI-RW Executive Secretary.Earlier, Minister Harebamungu, had highlighted on the achievements registered ever since the programme was rolled out, promising that his ministry would apply measures to further boost the programme.“Checking on government programmes by developing partners greatly guides government, especially in coming up with certain policies for the benefit of the population,” he said.

National

Gov’t subsidy delays affecting schools-report