Since the beginning of this year, the Education Ministry has declared that it will no longer manage the laboratory and library annual fees paid by students. Schools’ authorities have praised the decision as they complained that they didn’t know anything about the management.-By Lorraine Josiane Manishatse
Juma Edouard, Spokesman in the Ministry of Education.©Iwacu
“More than 10 years have passed without getting any new books or laboratory products. The former system was not effective. That is the reason why since this school year, those fees will be managed at the school level,” explains Juma Edouard, the spokesman in the Ministry of Education. According to him, the management of that money was obscure; there was a lack of transparency. He adds that the Ministry, following its decentralization policy, has decided to give responsibility to schools’ authorities to take control of that money in order to satisfy their daily school needs. “Every school will organize itself and use the fees according to their needs and amount,” he highlights.
They praise the new system
For Edouard Nduwimana, Assistant Headmaster in Charge of Studies at Lycée of Nyakabiga Scheppers, the new system is very good. “Years ago, there was money mismanagement. We always wanted the money to be managed at the school level because no one knew how that money was used. We often got problems because of the lack of books, and we were obliged to make photocopies or to buy them with the money for other activities. This caused enormous shortfall in the school’s smooth running,” he indicates. Nduwimana believes that the money they collect from students is a huge amount of money that they should help them buy some necessary books and laboratory products or equipment. The same feeling of satisfaction is shared by Tharcisse Bendantokira, Headmaster of Lycée Ngagara commonly known “ENE”. He states that the School Direction in collaboration with the Parents’ Committee will judge how to use that money depending on urgent needs or demands of the moment.
There must be a strict management follow-up
“The only problem that can occur is the poor management of that money. I ask all schools’ authorities to be very careful about the use of this latter. The Ministry should control it very closely,” suggests Nduwimana. He also insists that the Ministry continue to support schools. Only students’ contribution library and laboratory fees cannot buy for instance, microscopes and other laboratory equipment or products because they are very expensive. Thanks to the decentralization system, Juma explains that schools’ authorities are responsible of the management as they can be sanctioned in case of mismanagement. “Since this school year 2013-2014, the Management Committees composed of parents and schools’ authorities will be strengthened and implemented at schools level for the sake of the good management,” he points out. He goes on saying that each school will open a specific bank account for library and laboratory fees collected from students. The use of that money will be approved by the management committee. He highlights that the report justifying the spending of that money will be obligatorily presented to the Educational Provincial Director. “It will give good results to schools compared to the former system,” he concludes.
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