The Tuition Fee Free (TFF) Education Policy in Papua New Guinea was an attempt to meet children's right to free and compulsory education. These sections are a compilation of the PNG Auditor General’s Report on the effectiveness of the management and payments of the Tuition Fee Free subsidy to schools registered under the national education system from 2012 - 2018.
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Performance Audit Report on Tuition Fee Free Education Policy 2012-2018
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Chapter 4: Monitoring and Reporting of TFF Policy
22. The monitoring and reporting of the TFF policy were ineffective. There were no holistic monitoring plans in place to drive and guide the monitoring activities, and there was no funding provided for monitoring activities and programs.
This impacted the coordination, oversight, monitoring and reporting of the policy implementation at the provincial and district level.
23. Under the policy, mandated reports are required to be provided to the TFF management and policymakers by key players in charge of managing and implementing the policy at specific times.
The reports from the top management (TFF Secretariat and Secretary for Education) were completed on time. However, the reports from the provincial education boards and school boards were often incomplete and late.
24. Weekly reports from the TFF Coordinators in the Provinces only include issues and challenges faced by schools (such as non-receipt of teaching and learning materials supplies
and TFF bank account queries) and did not contain information relating to the impacts and outcomes of the policy implementation over a period of time.
This impacts on management’s ability to make effective decisions on the management and implementation of the policy, particularly when there is insufficient information provided in the reports and late reporting.
To improve the information that is provided to policymakers on whether the TFF program is meeting its policy outcomes, there should be additional reporting including information on the achievements of the policy objectives and outcomes, as well as the impacts and challenges and issues faced by schools.
25. There were very poor records of TFF acquittals furnished by schools over the period
under review.
The records of acquittal reports maintained by the National Department of
Education was incomplete which indicated a lack of monitoring and oversight provided by
education authorities to monitor the spending and accountability of TFF funds by schools.
Schools which received public money, but did not provide acquittal reports, breached the Public Finance Management Act.
26. Performance measurement and evaluations of program performance is key to providing vital information to management and policymakers as to whether a policy/program is achieving its objectives and intended outcomes.
While the TFF Secretariat and Grant Management Unit had Key Priority Areas (such as facilitating payments to schools and TFF decentralization to ensure TFF functions are carried
out successfully), there were no Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) developed to measure the progress in achieving the stated policy objectives and outcomes.
The TFF program has not been evaluated, and no evaluation has been scheduled. Establishing a set of key performance indicators would provide visibility to decision-makers on the management and performance of the TFF policy over time.
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Content layout
Executive Summary and Recommendations
Background
Overall Audit Conclusions and Key Findings
Recommendations & NDoE Responses
1. INTRODUCTION
- Recent changes to the TFF policy
- Audit rational
- Audit objective and criteria
- Audit scope and methodology
- Previous audit coverage
2. POLICY FRAMEWORK, GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY
- Background
- Applicable legislation and national education plans/policies
- Alignment of TFF policy to broader education plans and legislation
- TFF Policy implementation
- Governance and management arrangements
- Conclusion
3. DATA COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS; FINANCIAL CALCULATION AND APPROVAL PROCEDURES AND PAYMENTS OF TFF FUNDS
- School data collection and verification
- Data management system and enrolment data validation and TFF calculations process
- Financial management approval process and payments of TFF funds to schools 33
- Timely payments of TFF funds and impacts on schools
- TFF funds used to pay for administration expenses
- Commodity components- Teaching and Learning Materials
- Approval to withdraw TFF funds at the Provincial level
- Conclusion
- Recommendation 3
- Recommendation 4
- Recommendation 5
- Recommendation 6
- Recommendation 7
4. MONITORING AND REPORTING OF TFF POLICY
- Background
- Monitoring arrangements and framework
- Reporting and acquittals of TFF funds
- Performance measurement and evaluation
- Conclusion
- Recommendation 8
5. SCHOOLS VISIT AND EXPERIENCES- STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK
Recommendation 9DOWNLOAD THE REPORT HERE
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