Hinterland school feeding programme…Little evidence that $43M in snacks delivered-Auditor General report

Questions have been raised whether some $43M in snacks for children in the hinterland schools were actually delivered.

The questions were raised in the 2011 Report of the Auditor General which was laid in Parliament yesterday.
Last year, Government reportedly allocated $1.2B for the countrywide school feeding programme.

However, according to the audit report, checks with the Ministry of Education regarding the programme in Region Nine found little evidence that value was received.

Children of Jawalla, Region Seven, participating in Government’s school feeding programme.(GINA photo)

“With regards to the School Feeding Programme in Region Nine, approval was granted for the procurement of snacks from a sole supplier. Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the consolidation of the School Snack Programme in Region Nine, two payments amounting to $42.999M were made to enable preparation and supply of schools snacks to 3,814 students across 48 villages in Region Nine,” the report said.

However, the inadequate documentation, on the related vouchers and at the Ministry, made it difficult to ascertain whether value was received for the sum expended.

According to the short response in the report published: “The Head of Budget Agency acknowledged the finding.” There were no other explanations.
The Audit Office recommended that the Ministry put systems in place to monitor the progress of the programme and to ensure that all relevant documents be affixed to source documents and secure them for audit scrutiny.

Former Education Minister, Shaik Baksh, last year said that the $1.2B school feeding programme geared to alleviate hunger of poor school children in the hinterland and on the coastland has been having a positive impact on students’ attendance and performance.

He had said that the government is aware of the difficulties of undernourished children to learn academically.