According to the report, textbooks remained in the department’s warehouse for at least eight months.
The audit team concluded that Chuuk DOE failed to provide many students with textbooks and instructional materials.
Though Chuuk DOE received $3,902,657 in educational sector grant funding in a three-year period for the purchase of textbooks, many classes lacked textbooks.
No books had been purchased for the first and second grades.
At specific schools, some grades lacked books for specific classes.
For example, the Chuuk High School 10th grade did not have any science books, Murilio Elementary School had no 4th grade math books, and Udot Elementary School had no social science books for the 3rd-8th grades.
The audit team concluded that the failure to purchase and provide textbooks resulted from the failure of DOE management to perform its function.
DOE had not developed a purchasing plan nor did it implement an inventory management system.
Moreover, DOE management did not monitor staff responsible for the procurement and delivery function and therefore was not aware of the existing condition.
Furthermore, approximately $82,000 worth of textbooks were distributed to private schools even though the needs of public school students were not met.
The audit team also found isolated instances in which books had been purchased but were not being used.
Due to leaky roofs and lack of locking doors at some schools in the Chuuk lagoon the principals, concerned they would be held financially liable for lost and damaged books, did not distribute the books to classrooms.
In other instances, teachers lacked the subject or teaching methodology knowledge and therefore did not use the books.
The audit also concluded that schools and students were not being held responsible for lost and damaged textbooks.
DOE established policies that require schools to conduct quarterly inventories and hold teachers and students responsible for lost and damaged books.
However, the audit testing revealed that only about 57 percent of schools submit inventory reports and DOE does not compare the inventory reports submitted by the schools to DOE’s record of the number of books it provided to the school.
Principals and teachers interviewed by the audit team stated that they were not familiar with the policy.
According to DOE management, copies of the policy were provided to schools in 2007 but DOE has provided no further reminders of the policy.
