Following the implementation of transfers of funds to schools for the payment of education assistants (EAs) and general school assistants’ (GSAs’) stipends in December 2021, three Eastern Cape Department of Education officials implicated in the payment debacle have been suspended.
Departmental spokesperson, Malibongwe Mtima, confirmed that this followed the discovery of discrepancies while conducting the reconciliation of payment to schools.
He said the discrepancies discovered include non-payment of some participating schools (special section 20 schools), underpayment of schools and payment of schools that opted out of the initiative.
“The disciplinary processes are for failing to perform their duties in as far as the wrong payments were made to schools.
“This consequence management process is meant to allow for smooth investigations internally. Furthermore, the payment would subject the transfer payment system to forensic investigation too,” said Mtima.
He added that school governing bodies (SGBs), school principals and circuit managers had been instructed to ensure that any payment received should be used for the intended purpose, which is solely for the payment of stipends for EAs and GSAs, as per the grant framework.
He said SGBs and principals of schools that received overpayments had been instructed not to use the surplus for other purposes and the non-participating schools that received payments erroneously, were urged not to utilise the money until further notice from the department.
“Schools that did not receive any payments and those that were underpaid, would be included in the subsequent run scheduled to take place soon.
“Furthermore, circuit managers have been instructed to consolidate reports from their respective schools (circuit) and submit such reports to the district director who, in turn, would submit a consolidated district report to head office.”
According to Mtima, the department is urging schools that have been overpaid to submit salary advice and salary receipt registers of EAs and GSAs and would be advised on the processes to follow once the reconciliation had been finalised by the provincial office.
He added that all schools were required to submit this information to the office of the chief financial officer.
Mtima said the department tendered its sincere apologies to all special schools, section 20 schools and any other schools that were erroneously omitted from the payment run; however they would be included in the next scheduled run.
