Audit flags utilisation of Sh400m for vulnerable learners
The Auditor General has questioned the utilisation of Sh400 million set aside for orphans and vulnerable children under the presidential bursary programme.
In her latest report for the State Department for Social protection for the financial year 2020/2021, Auditor General Gathungu points out that there were anomalies in the distribution of the money to 21,961 beneficiaries.
The anomalies, she said, were noted in 16 sub-counties when the physical verification was done.
The funds are part of the Sh8.95 billion made available by the government to vulnerable populations through a cash transfer programme.
In the current financial year, a total of 22,000 needy and orphaned students in public boarding schools are expected to benefit from the programme by having their fees paid up to a maximum of Sh30,000 per learner.
“Included in grants and transfers to other Government entities’ as disclosed in Note 6 to the financial statements, is an amount of Kshs.405, 520,849 incurred for scholarships, educational benefits and emergency reliefs. Included in the latter balance is an amount of Kshs.399,999,400 for presidential bursary disbursed to secondary schools in 47 counties to 21,961 beneficiaries distributed at the constituency level. However, during physical verification in 16 sub-counties various anomalies were noted,” reads the report.
Bursary applications
Gathungu says she is not able to verify whether the students benefited from the money.
According to her, the department failed to provide the presidential bursary applications registers showing applicants’ names, identification details, admission or registration numbers and the schools in order for her to determine whether the beneficiaries had applied for the money or not.
She also notes that the departmental did not provide her with minutes of the constituency bursary sub-committees, attendance registers and reports on identification of the needy students, vetting and award of bursaries, to ascertain whether the award was merit-based as per the set guidelines and whether the bursary funds were for the beneficial use of the intended institutions and individuals.
She further says the constituency bursary committees failed to provide evidence to confirm that there was no award of bursary from other sources to avoid double dipping.
