Lessons in fraud

The anti-corruption agenda put forward by the PTI as its main line of campaign in the run up to the 2018 election appears to be taking a somewhat ironic turn. An education scheme, intended to bring out-of-school children aged between five and 16 years in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into education is apparently riddled with fraud, intended to embezzle funds and by doing so rob the scheme of its main functions. A 62-page inquiry report by the KP inspection team has found massive corruption in the Iqra Farogh-e-Talim programme, a special initiative by the KP government under which a voucher scheme was put in place in the elementary education foundation. These government-issued vouchers could be redeemed at partner private schools by parents in return for free education services. On paper, the scheme appeared to be an excellent one. But as so often happens, things on the ground look quite different. According to the inquiry report, out of the Rs26.4 million received from the admission of children in a Mansehra school, 19.4 million were embezzled. Ghost schools have also been discovered amongst those listed as partner schools and some of the students shown as having enrolled were not present at all in the schools they were attending in theory. We can assume the funds intended for them went into other pockets. The ghost schools were also given millions of rupees, despite the fact that they did not exist, and discrepancies in the number of students, names that had apparently been concocted and other problems run through the entire programme.The report names various officials in the EEF and at other administrative posts for failing to perform their duties properly. It has been suggested that NAB conduct an immediate investigation in the 65 schools and FIRs be registered against school owners involved in fraudulent practices. Senior officials also say that the KP chief minister had already been informed about the problem. This could be the tip of the iceberg. More investigations are needed. Education for all children has been a slogan frequently put forward by the PTI. If it has failed to maintain integrity and honour even in this sphere, as the highly damaging report clearly indicates, there is much amiss and, rather than pointing fingers at others, it should be working on putting its own house in order before more precious resources are wasted or go into the pockets of unscrupulous individuals.

from The News International - Editorial http://bit.ly/2YTbBo6