Head teacher arrested over swindling UPE funds

Drama ensued at Kabaale Roman Catholic Primary School in Kyamulibwa Sub-County, Kalungu District on Friday after members of the school management committee (SMC) arrested the head teacher accusing him of failing to account for capitation grants amounting Shs3.4m.

Angry SMC members first locked up Mr Dominic Mukasa in his office and later handed him over to police who took him to Kyamulibwa Police Station for further investigations.

According to SMC members, since last term over Shs3 million that the school has been getting from government is not accounted for.

Mr George William Kasozi, the representative of old students on the school management committee, said the school’s performance has kept declining over time due to weaknesses of Mr Mukasa.

Released by the government on a quarterly basis, a capitation grant is used to finance the purchase of textbooks and other teaching/learning materials in all schools implementing the Universal Primary /Secondary Education scheme (UPE/USE). It also caters for school maintenance, administration costs and payment for utilities including water and electricity. 

Government pays Shs14,000 for each pupil in UPE schools every year .

“It’s hurting to see our school in such a sorry state. He [Mukasa] has even failed to buy padlocks for buildings where critical school properties are kept,” he said on Saturday.

He added that both teaching and non-teaching staff are demoralised because of poor welfare yet the funds meant to cater for this, are being swindled.

“When we complained, he [Mukasa] told us that for three days this week, he spent over Shs312,000 on his transport yet we apply for learning materials to prepare for learners,” one of the  teachers who preferred anonymity disclosed.

Mr Mukasa asked to be pardoned as he pledged to pay back the money in one week, but members of the school management committee stood their ground and insisted that he should be investigated by police.

Mr Eria Mbalaala, the chairperson of Kyamulibwa sub-county asked the district’s education department to always liaise with  school management committees and parents and teachers associations (PTAs) while posting head teachers .

“The school was performing well academically, but since Mukasa became head teacher, it has declined in all aspects without any intervention from the district leadership, this needs to be investigated,” he said.

Members of the school management committee finally resolved to petition the district’s education department to transfer Mr Mukasa to another school and also ensure that the missing funds are recovered.

Mr Abubaker Ssuuna, the inspector of schools in Kyamulibwa Sub County, faulted  members of school management for locking up Mr Mukasa in his  office, saying they should have given  the district education department a chance to  investigate the matter .

“They could have reported the matter to the district to investigate the allegations and police could have intervened later if he was found culpable,” he said.

On Saturday, Mr Mukasa secured a police bond and was ordered to report back on October 7 to follow up on his case.