By Reagan Malumo KATIMA MULILO – Trainees from the Zambezi Vocational Training Centre (ZVTC) last week boycotted classes over allegations of “corruption of the highest order” at the centre. They alleged that they had been defrauded of meal and training fees. Since last year, the training centre has reportedly witnessed financial embezzlement, maladministration and nepotism causing anarchy that further disrupted the learning environment at the centre. A hand-written, two-page petition was handed over to the Director of Education in the Caprivi Region, Lovemore Lupalezwi. The reason it was hand-written was because it is alleged that trainees were not allowed to use the computers at the centre. They claim that they are always being told that the computers are not for student use and only for official use by staff members at the centre. In their petition, the trainees accuse staff at the centre for enjoying a life of luxury funded with irregular loans from student fees. According to the trainees, tuition fees amounting to between N$3ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ 000 and N$5ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ 000 – depending on the variety of courses offered to trainees per year – are charged per trainee. Of this amount which, according to them, is paid into the centre’s account, students only use a small amount just to buy stationery, and the rest of the money goes into the coffers of the centre. “We are supposed to use the money to buy tools, and the surplus to be refunded to us because we are going to pay back this money when we finish our training. But this is not the case here,” complained a trainee who was holding a placard that read “No School Till Further Notice.” They noted that trainees who do plumbing and bricklaying at the centre had not received training tools since 2005, an indication that they have been “defrauded” in daylight. The trainees also stated that most of the time they are harassed and threatened by despotic officials at the centre for questioning the manner in which the funds are administered. Normally the officials tell students “I will chase you out of the centre; if you continue to ask you would have to leave the centre” they claimed. The trainees complained that they have spent three months so far without receiving their meal fees, which they say is separate from their tuition or training fees. They accused management of deducting money that was supposed to be paid to them during holidays and weekends out of the N$420 meal fee they are supposed to receive every month without the knowledge of the Ministry of Education. This creates problems for trainees who come from other regions and who do not have relatives at the town. They stressed that instead of deducting examination money from the tuition or training fee that the ministry is paying, the centre forces them to foot the bill for exams. It is also alleged that the trainees are not given financial statements to show their financial transactions and that only a few trainees were given statements after they were identified as being stubborn. The trainees say they are always told that they are not supposed to get refunds from what remains of their loans and that their change is always returned to the ministry. This results in them being unaware of how much they have used and how much they have to pay back at the end of their training, as agreed in their contract with the ministry. It has since transpired that all trainees doing bricklaying and plumbing were suspended from attending the training for the month of March following their refusal to work on an attachment basis for Lebau, a construction company at the centre. Unlike other vocational centres around the country, it is alleged that Zambezi Vocational Training Centre has not allowed the trainees to choose for themselves a company where they should conduct their attachment. Instead, they are forced to work for Lebau Construction Company. They said they do not want to work for Lebau because it does not give any allowances like other companies do. They also accused one of the Acting Principals of the centre, Devillious Maria, of being corrupt and that she is a silent partner in Lebau Construction Company. They accused her of giving them a tender amounting to approximately N$30ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ 000 just for planting the lawn at the centre. They questioned the way the tender was awarded and said it was a waste of money because the lawn was placed at a site where Lebau is now doing construction work. With all these problems filling their minds, they said they needed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to come and make an investigation at the centre. Meanwhile, this is not the first time the Zambezi Vocational Training Centre stands accused of indulging in corruption scandals. Its former principal, Simon Mubyana, was kicked out of his position last year after defrauding the centre. He is alleged to have been arrested and released only after paying bail of N$10ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ 000. Meanwhile, repeated efforts to get both acting principals of the centre to respond to these allegations have proved futile as both were said to be attending a workshop in Windhoek. Those who were at the centre at the time were unable to answer because they were not allowed to disclose anything to any person, including the media. The trainees have vowed to boycott classes until their problems are solved.