The Auditor General's report has disclosed that Ms. Vicky Onyango, the principal of Aluro Girls, is implicated in a Sh35 million fees arrears scandal, as members of the Parents Association are pressured to endorse unlawful fees

 

The latest report from the Auditor General highlights a fraudulent scheme in which parents remit school fees, yet these payments are not reflected in the school's records, resulting in the appearance of fees arrears.

As per the report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, it points an accusatory finger at Principal Madam Vicky Onyango. Stakeholders and parents concur with the findings, noting that an amount of Sh35,068,023 has been outstanding for a period ranging from one to two years.

Parents are perplexed as to how the school could amass such a significant sum while consistently demanding a “ZERO BALANCE” before the conclusion of each term.

This implies that parents pay fees, which are then misappropriated by individuals who subsequently alter records to indicate that students have not fulfilled their payment obligations.

Moreover, the report indicates that despite the principal's assertion of an outstanding Sh30 million, all students allegedly in arrears have already departed from the school and received their form four certificates. Parents are left questioning the plausibility of this situation.

Furthermore, the report indicates that the school imposes additional charges without the explicit consent of the Chief Secretary for Education. Sources allege that the principal coerces and threatens members of the Parents' Association to endorse unlawful practices such as the imposition of extra school fees. Those who hold differing views are subjected to victimization.

The report states that the financial statement of assets and liabilities shows an accounts receivable balance of Kshs.35,068,023, which includes a fees arrears balance of Kshs.29,881,623.

However, the schedule of debtors and the ageing analysis detailing students' information, the outstanding amounts per student, and the duration of the outstanding balances were not made available for audit examination.

Under these circumstances, the accuracy, existence, and completeness of the accounts receivable balance of Kshs.35,068,023 could not be verified. The statement of receipts and payments indicates that the income from school funds, which includes parents' contributions and other receipts, amounts to Kshs.61,446,344 and Kshs.7,793,441, respectively, as outlined in Notes 3 and 4 of the financial statements.

Included in the receipts are amounts of Kshs.6,030,000 and Kshs.3,350,000 for BOM teachers and development receipts, respectively. However, the School Management levied additional fees of Kshs.1,500 and Kshs.2,500 per student per term on BOM teachers' subsidies and development without any documented approval from the Ministry of Education.

This contradicts Section 3.3.2 of the Guidelines on the Implementation of the Free Day Secondary Education Circular, referenced as MOE.HQS/3/10/18 Vol. IV(33) dated 7 March 2024.

In this context, Management has violated the guidelines set forth by the Ministry of Education. The statement of receipts and payments indicates that the grants for operations total Kshs.16,111,663, as detailed in Note 2 of the financial statements.

This amount includes Kshs.6,340,700 allocated for maintenance and improvement funds. However, an examination of the operations account statements showed that only Kshs.3,200,000 designated for infrastructure funds was transferred to the School Infrastructure account, resulting in an untransferred amount of Kshs.3,400,000.

This situation is in violation of Circular Ref. No: MOE.HQS/3/13/3 dated 16 June 2021, which mandated that infrastructure grants, along with maintenance and improvement funds, should be transferred to the school infrastructure account within fifteen (15) days of receiving the funds in the operations account.

In this regard, Management has breached the guidelines established by the Ministry of Education.

An analysis of the composition of the teaching staff indicated that the School employed a total of fifty-one (51) teachers, which included twenty-three (23) Teachers Service Commission (TSC) teachers and twenty-eight (28) Board of Management (BOM) teachers. This configuration accounts for fifty-five percent (55%) of the teaching personnel, thereby presenting a potential risk to the continuity and sustainability of quality teaching and learning, primarily due to the heavy dependence on BOM teachers.

Moreover, since BOM teachers are compensated through fees collected from parents, any delays in the collection process could expose the school to financial difficulties, risking its ability to fulfill wage commitments and consequently undermining effective staffing levels.

Additionally, BOM teachers are intended to offer temporary assistance rather than serve as a permanent staffing solution. The School is also confronted with the challenge of a high turnover rate among BOM teachers. Under these circumstances, the School's capacity to deliver sustainable quality education remains uncertain.