Africa-Press – Zambia. Schools in Mambwe district in Eastern Province are yet to receive funds meant for secondary school bursaries under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Mambwe District Education Board Secretary (DEBS), Christine Sinyangwe, said it was worrying that schools have not started receiving funds when the money is available in the coffers.
Ms. Sinyangwe told ZANIS in an interview that the procedural issues are delaying the payment of funds to schools for vulnerable children who are on the secondary school bursary scheme.
She hoped that the procedures that are involved in the disbursement of funds to schools under the secondary school bursaries component in the Constituency Development Fund can be worked on so that schools are helped.
Ms. Sinyangwe however said she has been assured that the funds will soon be credited into the school accounts. Meanwhile, Ms. Sinyangwe has disclosed that all schools in the district have received grants from the government for the second quarter of 2022 to help with their operations.
She could however not state the amount of funds that were received as monies are directly sent to school accounts. The DEBS further disclosed that her office has been sensitising and orienting schools on the utilisation of the grants.
“Some head teachers were still finding it difficult to utilise and manage funds which the schools receive in form of grants. In order to help them, my office has continued sensitising and orienting schools on financial management,” she said.
However, Mambwe Town Council District Planning Officer, Kennedy Phiri, said the Constituency Development Fund committee in the district sat and approved all secondary school bursary submissions.
Mr. Phiri added that the local authority is now waiting for an approval from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in order to effect the payments to the schools.
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