The Political Economy of Aid to Africa. In Poetry.

‘The Innumerate Ministry of Education’
by Stephen Partington (from the East African)

‘Here’s a little pocket money:
Buy yourself some books!’
A patronising-noble act,
But now it seems that crooks

Have stolen from DfID
And lost its billions.
Some have blamed the Minister,
And him, his minions.

Blame is being handed out
Like the British handed Pounds:
Seems no-one is responsible
For what’s lost and won’t be found.

Forgotten are the pupils, who
Lack books and dorms and desks
Or any hope of realising
Free Primary’s promises.

Now Britain wants its money back
And someone brought to book,
Wants government to hunt them down
Not let them off the hook.

But do our middle-classes
Or elites whose pampered young
Attend our rich Academies
Care if justice isn’t done?