THE Ministry of Education monitors schools’ use of building grants to ensure funds allocated for repairs and maintenance are properly spent and projects completed to the required standards.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro told Parliament yesterday that the ministry had systems in place to track expenditure and monitor infrastructure improvements across schools, including those in rural and maritime areas.
He was responding to a question from Opposition MP Hem Chand on measures to ensure schools provided proper facilities for students and teachers.
Mr Radrodro said the ministry maintained records of previous building grants provided for repairs and maintenance of classrooms, teachers’ quarters, special rooms and ablution facilities.
“We also maintain a quitters register to track the expenditure of building grant funds by schools and monitor how the funds have been utilised,” he said.
He said school heads and management were notified when inadequate, damaged or non-functional ablution facilities were identified and were required to take appropriate action where funding was available.
On Cicia Secondary School, Mr Radrodro acknowledged the Ministry of Health’s partnership in addressing concerns about water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
“So, once a school receives a building grant, the project is monitored by our Asset Infrastructure Services (AIS) team and the divisional office until completion.”
He said local councils and the Ministry of Works also assisted with monitoring where necessary.
The ministry monitored infrastructure projects across all four divisions, verified school-reported WASH information and maintained records of outstanding infrastructure needs and grant assistance.
