REPORTS by the auditor-general suggest that 2011 was a year of serious setbacks for North West students, the effects of which are only likely to be felt in the years ahead.
This is because the province's education department failed to spend R275.9-million of its budget.
About R36.97-million of the budget was earmarked for early child development, while the remaining R196.67-million was allocated for ordinary public school education programmes.
The A-G further found that children on the school feeding scheme ate meals that "were not prepared according to the recommended food specifications and approved menu".
He also discovered that "sustainable food production and nutrition education was not promoted" and that "the Ramotshere and Tong comprehensive schools did not develop detailed annual business plans" relevant to conditional grants that were awarded to them.
The department also only achieved 16 of the 44 targets it had set itself, translating to a 64% failure rate, for which it received a qualified opinion.
Further inspection of the North West department of education's financial statements revealed that its finances were in a shambles.
The department racked up R8.9-million in irregular expenditure in the last financial year.
More than R528-million in irregular expenditure from previous years was still to be condoned.
If authorities refused to condone this expenditure it would likely be deducted from upcoming budgets.
Still in North West, the A-G found that department of human settlements could not account for R1.5-billion in housing funds that were awarded to municipalities, but department spokesman Simon Mmope rejected this.
He claimed only R190-million remained unaccounted for.
"Of the R1.5-billion unaccounted for we have documentation worth R1.3-billion, which is incomplete. In some cases we have proof of payment and no copy of invoice or vice versa." .
But the A-G said he was "unable to obtain sufficient and appropriate audit evidence" of the unspent funds that were paid to municipalities and that he was "unable to confirm the unspent funds by alternative means". - molatlhwao@sowetan.co.za
A-G finds North West finances in shambles
REPORTS by the auditor-general suggest that 2011 was a year of serious setbacks for North West students, the effects of which are only likely to be felt in the years ahead.
This is because the province's education department failed to spend R275.9-million of its budget.
About R36.97-million of the budget was earmarked for early child development, while the remaining R196.67-million was allocated for ordinary public school education programmes.
The A-G further found that children on the school feeding scheme ate meals that "were not prepared according to the recommended food specifications and approved menu".
He also discovered that "sustainable food production and nutrition education was not promoted" and that "the Ramotshere and Tong comprehensive schools did not develop detailed annual business plans" relevant to conditional grants that were awarded to them.
The department also only achieved 16 of the 44 targets it had set itself, translating to a 64% failure rate, for which it received a qualified opinion.
Further inspection of the North West department of education's financial statements revealed that its finances were in a shambles.
The department racked up R8.9-million in irregular expenditure in the last financial year.
More than R528-million in irregular expenditure from previous years was still to be condoned.
If authorities refused to condone this expenditure it would likely be deducted from upcoming budgets.
Still in North West, the A-G found that department of human settlements could not account for R1.5-billion in housing funds that were awarded to municipalities, but department spokesman Simon Mmope rejected this.
He claimed only R190-million remained unaccounted for.
"Of the R1.5-billion unaccounted for we have documentation worth R1.3-billion, which is incomplete. In some cases we have proof of payment and no copy of invoice or vice versa." .
But the A-G said he was "unable to obtain sufficient and appropriate audit evidence" of the unspent funds that were paid to municipalities and that he was "unable to confirm the unspent funds by alternative means". - molatlhwao@sowetan.co.za
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