The Ministry of Education has issued fresh guidelines to schools across the country on financial management.
In several memos written county directors to guide schools heads on this information and seen by Education News, the institutions should have an approved budget estimates of revenue and expenditure approved by the Board of Management (BoM) as well as procurement plan based on the approved budget.
“Section 16(1) of Part 1 of the Fourth Schedule of Basic Education Act, 2013 requires a Board of Management of a public institution of basic education to prepare annual estimates of revenue and expenditure for the institution under its charge, in such form and such times as the Cabinet Secretary shall prescribe,” says a memo written by one of the directors to school heads.
Also, the school heads are directed to prepare a report for each quarter of the financial year in 15 days after the end of the required period.
“You are required to ensure that your institution prepares monthly trial balances and submits them to the County Director of Education (CDE) through respective Sub-County Directors of Education as well as quarterly report that contains financial and non-financial performance of the entity no later than 15 days after the end of each quarter,” the memo also reads.
The Ministry urged the principals to ensure that the monthly bank reconciliations are done promptly after the end of every month, and any cash survey is conducted and documented to ascertain the accuracy and completeness of cash in hand.
Also, they should submit for audit the accounts in respect of revenue received and collected during that financial year not later than three months after the end of each financial year.
The principals are further directed to comply with the approval processes for Maintenance and Improvement Funds (MIF) and Transitional Infrastructure Grants (TIG) as laid down in circular dated January 30, 2019 and subsequent circular dated February 12, 2020 and any other subsequent circulars.
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The directive comes just a few days after CS Machogu revealed that school principals will soon appear before Parliamentary committees to answer queries raised about funds for their schools.
While speaking during the closing of the KESSHA conference in Mombasa Machogu said the government has classified schools as a unit answerable to Parliament.
“My friends, things are changing. Machogu has been answering questions on your behalf, but that will not be the case anymore as secondary schools have now been classified as audit units,” he said.
He said parliamentary committees will invite the principals to answer queries, unlike in the current case where the Education CS or Principal Secretary does it on their behalf.
The CS warned the head teachers against imposing illegal levies that are not approved, saying they will face dire consequences if the parliamentary committee decides to summon them.
By Vostine Ratemo
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