Page 34 - DUT ICGA Abstract Book

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOES THE ONUS LIE WITH WITH THOSE CHARGED WITH WITH GOVERNANCE OR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION?
Dr RJ Cassim1 Mrs CK Osler2
1 Vaal University of Technology South Africa ronelc@vut ac za
2
Department of Education Gauteng South Africa Email: Charlotte Osler@gauteng gov za
Abstract
South Africa’s education reform was focused on on access redress and democracy To address the imbalances in in education policies were introduced like the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 Legislation requires those responsible for governance within public schools to to submit audited financial statements to to the Department of of Education There is mounting pressure by the public on on on all levels of of government institutions to to be held accountable for their actions The purpose was to to assess if internal controls which take the the shape of policies and and and procedures are are present pertinent sufficient and and and running efficiently and and and are are being monitored effectively To further identify who shall be kept accountable with regards to to to the the monitoring process The aim of the the article is to evaluate the the internal controls accountability and transparency in in South South African African Public School’s financial practices To explore whether South South African African public schools have internal controls in in in in place to maintain and ensure compliance with current legislative regulations set out in in in in the South African School Act 84 of 1996 regarding accounting and auditing practices The article will be applying a a a a a a a a a a a qualitative document analysis approach to obtain an an an in-depth understanding of the public- school spending and and record-keeping phenomenon Financial statements reflect figures and and do not indicate whether the the the correct accounting and auditing processes have been followed The findings reveal the the the absence of internal internal controls controls and in in in in cases where there are are internal internal controls controls they are are ineffective Without a a a a a a a doubt schools are the the the cornerstone of of the the the entire educational system The success of of a a a a school school depends on on on the the the quality of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a school’s financial management and the implications are are that many learners are are affected by ineffective resource allocation This article aim is is is to to contribute to to assistance in in clean school audit reports The recommendation is that the the Department of of Education become more involved the the management of of department funds KEYWORDS: Accountability legislation internal controls public schools governance 32 7th International Conference on on on Governance and Accountability (ICGA) 2022