Tracking Education Budget (Building, Teachers, Computers, school meals) Experience from the Philippines

Finance Ministry Prepares Disbursement/Fund Release Program Education Agency prepares Work & Financial Plan Program/Project/Activity Is Implemented Allotment Release Order is issued based on Plan Budget Execution Cash is Received by implementing Agency Reporting First Step – Know The Budget Execution Process

Documentation Forms Document Everything!

FIELD VISITS TO SCHOOLS School Principals or Head Teachers interviewed concerning the budget items to be tracked Relevant Documents are requested Dates funds received and procurement/ hiring and construction/repairs are checked Determine causes in cases of Delays Newly hired teachers are interviewed Parents and students interviewed for feedback and validation Photo documentation done

Bidding documents of Commonwealth ES school building project. The documents on the left are from the winning bidder Plan of works provided to Sitio Buga ES school head after the project was completed under the DepEd school building project in 2007 Tender Documents

Second floor classroom of the newly constructed building in Sta Monica HS Annex Second floor classroom showing the toilet in the newly constructed building in Sta Monica HS Sta Monica HS Annex showing the newly constructed 2-storey building on the left as an attachment.

Condemned classrooms adjacent to rooms with on-going classes School building in San Nicola ES with condemned rooms inhabited by snakes.

Ceiling of San Nicolas ES classroom repaired in February 2008 showing leaks.

Computer units delivered in March 2008 to San Pedro High School in Hagonoy, Bulacan under the DepEd Computerization Program Computer unit waiting to be installed in San Pedro High School, Hagonoy, Bulacan.

NOW, THE DON’Ts Do not track the entire education budget; select only the critical, sensitive or suspicious Do not do a corruption watch; this can be another project by another coalition Do not cover the entire country; take only what is feasible Engage others to help out in the tracking exercise Do not do a comprehensive survey; focus on tracking. Don't look at just the bad side. Do an appreciative inquiry. Know when to back off when “sailing gets rough”