This is a success story that captures information on a key result milestone of enhanced community engagements on education service delivery in the Voice and Accountability project achieved at Taferadziko Primary in Vubwi district of Eastern province. The school is 57km away from the District Education Board Office (DEBS).
Story of Change
Following CSPR’s Voice and Accountability Project interventions over the past year, Mr. Banda, the Deputy Head teacher at Taferadziko Primary School, is impressed with the current positive shift and improved community involvement in the affairs of the school. He mentioned that before the coming of the project, the school administration was not aware of the provisions and importance of fully displaying school grants and budgets on the school notice boards. With the community engagements on social accountability and community entitlements, the need to display grants and budgets has become inevitable. These engagements have also led to community members gaining an understanding on how school grants are allocated and used. Furthermore, there has been more community participation in the school planning and budgeting processes. The community members can now freely express themselves to the school administration, through Parent Teacher Committee (PTC) and community meetings.
Mr. Banda’s own words
“I won’t hide, display of school funds on the notice board in the past was quite hard and the main form of accountability for school grants was only given during official meetings. Now as a school we can display the school budgets through the notice board where community members can come and see the funds allocations on their own. This has allowed for community members to make us accountability for the funds, as they ask how the money was spent. I have also seen that there is an increase in community members participation in the planning and budget process as they also input their views on where the money should be used. We really appreciate CSPR’s interventions in the past one year, the school management has been educated on education service delivery and social accountability. This has made our work easier as community members are more aware of school operations, and this has led to openness from the community. I believe that through these interventions by the Voice and Accountability Project the confidence of parents to approach the school office will even increase further. Will end by appreciating the CSPR Committee that are taking the lead in social accountability among us as a school and community members. We have consultative engagements now.”
