There were a few factors to the last round of the Primary Schools Assistance Project that need to be understood.
The first was that Mo & Jo, who were the drivers of the project had or were about to end their contract as Field Reps with the Agency. So from their point of view they wanted all issues resolved as near as possible before they departed.
The incoming Field Rep was Mama Rubani with her husband Baba Rubani - these two had certainly different ideas about development from what I had experienced and particularly they wanted nothing to do with the Primary Schools project and in fact were prepared to simply hand over money ' more or less to get rid of it'! They wanted no responsibility as to the effective expenditure and when I questioned Baba Rubani about this his attitude was they should be given the money - one bit of the cherry - and it is up to them how they utilize it.
The Rubani's tenure was cut short fatally, and the replacement was Mama Mbembe, who had performed badly for DME causing embarrassment for me. Her appointment was somewhat outside what would be acceptable inthe 'real' world but she was totally against the Primary Schools project and also anti DME. [See The Female of the Species]
Jo [rightly] trusted DME and was to hand over the Primary Schools Assistance Programme funds directly over to them and they were to nominate the schools to be assisted.
There is a certain amount of kudos generated by being in a position to assist financially and we all like the glow. Various leaders of DME therefore nominated the schools they wanted assistance to reach - either their home school of one they were closely associated with.
Once the nominations were in, Loti and I went around the various schools to collect a list of their requirements. This would be for us to discuss the type of assistance eligible and they needed to have their requirements to me or collected by me on a certain day. The people who put the school's name forward was to be responsible to ensure the information came to me.
The reports came in but there was none from Ulonga which was sponsored by the DME treasurer. I made my report and although Jo wanted it urgently, I delayed a few days to Ulonga to come back to me. They did not (actually they failed my inspection on a couple of accounts too).
I gave a copy of my report to DME for their information and they announced what was to be given to each school to the people who had sponsored them.
A few days later, I was called into the field office to discuss the project with Jo, and she asked me about Ulonga. She agreed that if they were not able to come furnish their requirements on time, the funds should go to another school. I told her that I would go back to the DME but she said that time was short and asked it I had any opinion.
Just the day before I had been at Shishtoni so I estimated in cash value what they needed and Jo agreed to fund it. However, there was still money left in kitty, so again she asked me to nominate another. I nominated Valeska.
Shishtoni and Valeska being funded before Ulonga ruffled the feathers of the DME Treasurer! And he wanted answers! The General Secretary (Mr. Kaaya) and I had a very good relationship - right from the start we just hit if off! He called a meeting to discuss the matter and once explained the Treasurer calmed though continued to not to forget and caused irritation.
The funding this time was considerable because previously, the only building work allowed was for new school toilets but for DME other building projects were allowed because there was a Fundi School within the organization which had the ability to carry out the work 'as training'.
Well now, I was touring around all the schools carrying out project work and it was not long until the' old cynic button' self activated in my brain. Many building projects were started and not completed. At both Akeri and Olkung'wado the toilets were built but no doors fitted [in fact at Olkung'wado, I lent my screwdriver so they could fitthe doors themselves!].
I kept harassing the principal of the fundi school to finish the projects and he made promises that he did not intend to keep. But the schools were complaining to me.
We called at Kwatulele to carry out an environmental seminar and found that a new ceiling was being fitted to a classroom by the fundi school. They were using old, second-hand materials!
As it happened we met the fundi school principalon the road , so I told him that it was not acceptable to be using second-hand materials in the school. His reply was aggressive and I realized that I had better inform Mr Kaaya.
He was not happy about what I had to tell him and I guess he did not need ' trouble in the camp'. It did turn out that the principal was creaming some of the funds, and some Pastors more or less supported him. The Hon Bishop knew what was appropriate and sent him to an outlying parish.
This was the last of the Assistance to Primary Schools Programme and it ended effectively and well. I was happy with the outcome. I had to remain watchful of the ex-principal though.
The first was that Mo & Jo, who were the drivers of the project had or were about to end their contract as Field Reps with the Agency. So from their point of view they wanted all issues resolved as near as possible before they departed.
The incoming Field Rep was Mama Rubani with her husband Baba Rubani - these two had certainly different ideas about development from what I had experienced and particularly they wanted nothing to do with the Primary Schools project and in fact were prepared to simply hand over money ' more or less to get rid of it'! They wanted no responsibility as to the effective expenditure and when I questioned Baba Rubani about this his attitude was they should be given the money - one bit of the cherry - and it is up to them how they utilize it.
The Rubani's tenure was cut short fatally, and the replacement was Mama Mbembe, who had performed badly for DME causing embarrassment for me. Her appointment was somewhat outside what would be acceptable in
Jo [rightly] trusted DME and was to hand over the Primary Schools Assistance Programme funds directly over to them and they were to nominate the schools to be assisted.
There is a certain amount of kudos generated by being in a position to assist financially and we all like the glow. Various leaders of DME therefore nominated the schools they wanted assistance to reach - either their home school of one they were closely associated with.
Once the nominations were in, Loti and I went around the various schools to collect a list of their requirements. This would be for us to discuss the type of assistance eligible and they needed to have their requirements to me or collected by me on a certain day. The people who put the school's name forward was to be responsible to ensure the information came to me.
The reports came in but there was none from Ulonga which was sponsored by the DME treasurer. I made my report and although Jo wanted it urgently, I delayed a few days to Ulonga to come back to me. They did not (actually they failed my inspection on a couple of accounts too).
I gave a copy of my report to DME for their information and they announced what was to be given to each school to the people who had sponsored them.
A few days later, I was called into the field office to discuss the project with Jo, and she asked me about Ulonga. She agreed that if they were not able to come furnish their requirements on time, the funds should go to another school. I told her that I would go back to the DME but she said that time was short and asked it I had any opinion.
Just the day before I had been at Shishtoni so I estimated in cash value what they needed and Jo agreed to fund it. However, there was still money left in kitty, so again she asked me to nominate another. I nominated Valeska.
Shishtoni and Valeska being funded before Ulonga ruffled the feathers of the DME Treasurer! And he wanted answers! The General Secretary (Mr. Kaaya) and I had a very good relationship - right from the start we just hit if off! He called a meeting to discuss the matter and once explained the Treasurer calmed though continued to not to forget and caused irritation.
The funding this time was considerable because previously, the only building work allowed was for new school toilets but for DME other building projects were allowed because there was a Fundi School within the organization which had the ability to carry out the work 'as training'.
Well now, I was touring around all the schools carrying out project work and it was not long until the' old cynic button' self activated in my brain. Many building projects were started and not completed. At both Akeri and Olkung'wado the toilets were built but no doors fitted [in fact at Olkung'wado, I lent my screwdriver so they could fit
I kept harassing the principal of the fundi school to finish the projects and he made promises that he did not intend to keep. But the schools were complaining to me.
We called at Kwatulele to carry out an environmental seminar and found that a new ceiling was being fitted to a classroom by the fundi school. They were using old, second-hand materials!
As it happened we met the fundi school principal
He was not happy about what I had to tell him and I guess he did not need ' trouble in the camp'. It did turn out that the principal was creaming some of the funds, and some Pastors more or less supported him. The Hon Bishop knew what was appropriate and sent him to an outlying parish.
This was the last of the Assistance to Primary Schools Programme and it ended effectively and well. I was happy with the outcome. I had to remain watchful of the ex-principal though.
No comments:
Post a Comment