Bakau Lower Basic Head Master Testifies in Court

Alagie M.I. Dukuray, the head teacher of BakauLowerBasicSchool, last week testified at the Banjul Magistrates' Court against one Modou L. Krubally who is charged with giving false information.

Mr. Krubally is alleged to have written a petition letter to the Ministry of Secondary Education that there were a succession of fraudulent practices and mismanagement of the school properties at the BakauLowerBasicSchool.

He adduced that it was agreed that students pay D25 for logistical purposes in preparing exam papers.

Mr. Dukuray, who said he had served 30 years in the teaching field, testified that the American Beauty Pageant visited the school and donated some educational materials and most of the materials were given to students and some items are still there in the school. He added that no money was given.

Under cross-examination by the accused, Mr. Dukuray maintained that no financial misappropriation occurred in his school, adducing that all and any project funds for the school are always received in the presence of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or otherwise posted directly in the school's account to be withdrawn by the signatories.

He further testified that 27 classrooms were renovated with tiles, and records of the expenditure are kept.

Head Master Dukuray adduced that D15.00 is being paid for school fund and D50.00 for school development fund.

He also said that records of the school poultry are available. He told the court that there was bird flu that affected the running of the poultry. He said many chickens died as a result.

"Therefore we decided to sell them at D75, D100 and D125 respectively and the proceeds realised was D800," he testified.

Mr Dukuray informed the court that it was the PTA that directed the school to use the money to repair the broken chairs.

He refuted the allegations that the school normally collects D500 from children per term. He also contradicted that study fees of D600 is deducted from the children sponsorship money.

Clearing doubts about the computers donated to the school, Master Dukuray said the computers were 13 and not 24 as alleged in the petition and are intact.

He revealed that he only removed the goal posts from the school to stop playing during school sessions. 

He posited that never was he involved in collection of money during summer classes and all he knew was children paid D100 for a period of two months to a teacher identified by the staff to undertake the classes.

The case continues 21st May 2009.