Policy audit right approach

THE Education Secretary’s direction to audit all expenditures related to Tuition Fee Free (TFF) policy and it’s projects may reveal to the parents and citizens how institutional finances have been used over the last 6-8 years.
From evidence, there were not much tangible assets built to enhance teaching and learning to be conducive for students.
This has attracted public outcry as evident in both the mass media and social media – expressing dissatisfaction over the expenditure scenario.
Some of the schools have been managed as a private businesses.
Financial decisions, as to how the institutions spend money, were driven by outside forces causing schools to spend more on substandard materials.
This audit of TFF, if it is successful and covers every schools (elementary, primary, high and secondary schools) and extended to tertiary level, will expose the successes and failures of each institution including people who are responsible.
Others who have been on a one man show or inviting cronies to make monetary decisions to deviate institutional money have to provide answers to the auditing team.
All institutions have TFF control mechanisms in place.
Provincial Education Authorities are principal signatories or authorising agents on behalf of the secretary for withdrawals of finances through bank accounts.
But what matters is, was the funds withdrawn spent on the planned projects?
For that matter physical audit is important to validate the spending.
On the other hand there are genuine and competent school boards and administrators that deserve credit for being loyal, prudent expenditure to roll out infrastructural developments in their schools.
I strongly believe that the approach to audit TFF finance is the right direction.

Jack Kukiwa,
Lae