The Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu has accused the Ministry of Education of flouting procedures of procurement in the disbursement of millions of shillings to learning institutions for the projects of renovation and infrastructure improvement.
In a report tabled before the National Assembly, Auditor-General put questions on millions of shillings for the budgetary year 2018/2019. The records from the ministry indicate that a lot of money was spent to cover repairs and construction in various schools and colleges.
But the institutions in question are Mama Ngina High, Nembu Girls, Buru Buru Girls, Machakos Boys, Kaimosi Teachers Training College, Mary Hill Girls and Shanzu Teachers College.
Gathungu raised attention to how the disbursement of about Ksh. 51.5 million for infrastructure development was made in 65 primary schools.
She noted that the funds were expended without any formal application contrary to a requirement that schools should seek approval of the Ministry through County Directors of Education.
The release come between the heated debate originating from findings from the Auditor General that the Ministry made irregular payments to close to Ksh 1 billion from the Free Primary Education (FPE) Kitty to primary schools that do not exist.
Officials from the Ministry of Education have also been accused of wiring Ksh 919 million to several primary schools with fake identical registration numbers.
The registration numbers used are not traceable in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) schools’ register according to Gathungu.
On Mama Ngina High School, the report reveals that Kh.192.45 was dispensed for the school to be relocated to the school to North Coast. But a summary of the contract exposed that the evaluation committee never complied with statutes of procurement.
The committee neither complied with the legislation that requires an evaluation committee to prepare an outline of the tenders received and final ratings attached to each tender and to submit a report that comprises among others, the scores evaluated for every tender or proposal to the tender committee.
“Minutes availed for audit review did not indicate the presence or professional contribution of a secretary who is in charge of the procurement function.” Said the Auditor General.
“In the circumstances, it has not been possible to confirm the propriety of the expenditure of Sh.183.2 million and that public resources have been applied lawfully and in an effective way,” reads the report.
Nembu Girls High School procured CCTV cameras at Sh. 1.12 million and installed them for Sh. 600,000 which goes against section 45(3) of the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal, which provides that all procurement processes shall be within the approved budget of the procuring entities.
