Anomalies have been recorded in the Education Ministry’s 2016 Auditor General’s report for the building grant that was given to seventy-two schools affected by TC Winston.

The report highlighted issues of administration, particularly filing of reports, monitoring of fund disbursement at school levels and absence of signed agreements.

The Ministry’s Asset Monitoring Unit Director, Serupepeli Udre says these anomalies surfaced due to the shortfall of the Ministry’s district education office and asset monitoring unit.

Udre says the finance relating to the grants were not in question by the Committee as a thorough allocation procedure is in place, except for disaster or rehabilitation periods.

“Previously the management would have to request for building grants assistance, however, in the past some of those SOP’s were not followed because funds were directed to the rehabilitation of TC Winston works in the affected schools and as such some of the grants were given out according to instructions that were received from higher authorities.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry’s Finance Director, Donish Lal says through the special expenditure, building grants were allocated $2.03million in 2016.

Lal adds apart from these anomalies, the Ministry has improved overall with only 5 audit findings for 2016 compared to 20 in 2015.

The Ministry’s books were scrutinized by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee in Suva yesterday.