- Pupils in seven elementary school continue to attend classes sitting on the floor and others outside; several communities travel long distances to access health care.
The priority actions approved by the Mandimba District Consultative Council for the year 2023 were not funded by the State Budget approved by the Assembly of the Republic, according to the screening report on public spending in the education and health sectors presented by the CESC on Friday, August 16. The event was attended by 58 people, including the Niassa Provincial Director of Education, directors of district services, civil society, the Attorney General's Office, school managers and school council presidents.
For 2023, the Mandimba District Consultative Council had approved five priority actions, namely the construction of five classrooms in the Madeira and Nacaca Primary Schools; the distribution of 4,095 school desks; the construction of a health center in the Ussumane community; the expansion of the health center in the town of Luelele; and the refurbishment of the health center at the Lissiete Administrative Post.
None of them have received funding, a situation that is having a negative impact on meeting the basic needs of the communities. For example, pupils at the Mulolo, Mpuina, Nangapoche, Namango, Luchimua 1, Ámido elementary school and the Muita elementary school are still receiving lessons sitting on the floor.
With regard to the free distribution of school books, Mandimba's education services had planned to distribute 77,150 books in the 2023 school year. However, 52,246 textbooks were distributed, equivalent to 67% of the target. The poor performance is explained by a lack of funds to transport the books from the district headquarters to the schools.
The public expenditure screening also found that there is a lack of transparency in the management of the Direct Support to Schools (ADE) fund and a low level of community participation in management. The process was characterized by the weak involvement of members of the school councils, with only the presidents of the councils and the principals having control over the management of the ADE.
In 2023, Mandimba received 7,231,000 meticais to finance 114 elementary school and 11 basic schools. All the schools tracked showed a poor command of procurement rules and did not observe the social protection component in the management of ADE funds. In other words, no maps were found to prove the distribution of school materials to students in situations of orphanhood and vulnerability, as established in the ADE procedures manual.
The ODA procedures manual states that each school must spend 70% of the amount on goods and services and 30% is at the discretion of the school. In schools where school councils do not function, the management of the 30% of the ADE amount is at the discretion of the school management. "The aim of this money is to guarantee minimum conditions for the teaching and learning process to function. This money is not for the head teacher," said Alocre Saide, provincial director of education in Niassa.
The screening of public spending is an initiative led by CESC as part of the implementation of the Pro-Civic and Human Rights project, supported by the Finnish Embassy in Mozambique.
