SCHOOL GRANTS ABUSED, MISMANAGED, MISAPPLIED - AUDIT REPORT

AN audit conducted by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning on the utilisation of school grants has revealed that over K60 million has been mismanaged between January 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

The audit, conducted in 182 schools countrywide, also revealed that over K13 million has elements of abuse.

All the 182 sampled schools were funded a total of more than K80 million for the period under review.

This is contained in a statement issued by the ministry yesterday

According to the data submitted at the time of review, the Ministry of Education has a total of 12, 275 schools and over K2 billion was funded to all schools during the period under review.

Findings relating to administrative lapses (management failures) included high administrative costs to attend calledup meetings, failure to account for funds, and misapplication of funds.

Others were unapproved and unauthorised expenditure, inadequately supported payments, missing payment vouchers and unaccounted for revenue/unbanked revenue as well as unaccounted for stores/lack of disposal details.

Under elements of abuse, the findings showed questionable expenditure, irregular drawing of imprest and cash, irregular payment of allowances, irregular procurements above head teacher’s authorisation limit, and splitting of tenders/procurement to avoid authorisation thresholds.

As part of Government’s measure to stop such vices, the Ministry of Education is expected to ensure that officers responsible for unaccounted for school grants are surcharged.

It would ensure that all unaccounted-for funds should, recovered in accordance with applicable Public Finance Management Act no. 1 of 2018 guidelines and other the public service guidelines.

“Where school grants have been abused and/or responsible officers have failed to follow laid down procedures, the Ministry of Education is expected to take remedial action as prescribed by the Public Finance Management Act no.1 of 2018 and the disciplinary code and procedures for handling offences in the public sector and local government service,” the statement noted.