MIRROR REPORTER

MASVINGO – Ndarama High School has failed to submit its 2024 draft budget after two failed Extra-Ordinary General Meetings with guardians and the head Oddy Matongo failing to find common ground.
School Development Association (SDA) Chairperson, Martin Makweza told The Mirror that school fees for the first term of 2024 will be US$80 as agreed by guardians on November 19, 2022.
“Guardians agreed to pay US$80 school fees on November 19, 2022. Matongo had hiked the fees to US$156 without approval. The 2024 budget should have a 2023 fees structure certificate attached to it. Parents are refusing to acknowledge the US$156 fees on the certificate,” he said.
Makweza also said that the meetings failed because guardians no longer recognize Matongo as the school head after he allegedly took US$4 270 from the school coffers without the SDA approval. He is also accused of incompetency after failing to produce minutes of an AGM held on April 4, 2022.
Sources at the school told The Mirror that the SDA agreed to charge US$105 for Form 1 places and Matongo again hiked the fees to US$180.
Efforts to get a comment from Matongo were futile as his mobile could not be reached by the time of going to Press.
He, however, told a failed meeting on December 2 that fees was increased because the institution has outstanding debts to council and needs to increase the classrooms as learners are taking classes under trees.
Masvingo District Schools Inspector (DSI) Ishmael Chigaba confirmed that Ndarama has not submitted its 2024 budget.
Ndarama, one of the best day schools in the province has been plagued with allegations of financial misappropriations since Matongo took over.