2012年-世界发展银行全球_Social_Audits_in_Nepals_Community_Schools___Measuring_Policy_Against_Practice_20页_1mb

Summary of SOCIAL AUDITS IN NEPAL'S COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Core Content

This document outlines a pilot project conducted by the Community School National Network (CSNN) in Nepal to assess the implementation of social audits in community-managed schools. The project aimed to improve school governance by addressing the gaps between policy and practice, particularly in the context of Nepal's decentralized education system. The pilot was carried out in three districts—Kaski, Dolakha, and Nawalparasi—and included an impact assessment in Nawalparasi after training sessions.

Main Objectives

• To design capacity-building tools and train facilitators for effective social audits.
• To analyze the gaps between the Ministry of Education (MoE) policy and actual implementation.
• To monitor and supervise the training process and evaluate its impact.
• To develop policy recommendations based on findings and stakeholder feedback.

Key Findings

1. Community Participation

• Committees not formed through democratic processes: Only 10% of schools in the pilot had formed committees (SMCs, PTAs, SACs, and Child Clubs) through democratic elections.
• Poor record-keeping: About 53.3% of SMCs did not maintain records of out-of-school children, and 36.7% of schools did not track student attendance.
• Weak accountability: 61.7% of SACs did not ensure the dissemination of audit reports to stakeholders, and only 25% of schools conducted public hearings for the audit results.

2. Physical and Teaching Environment

• Inconsistent meeting practices: 48% of SMC meetings and 48% of PTA meetings were not held as scheduled or followed proper decision-making procedures.
• Lack of transparency: Many stakeholders were unaware of the annual social audit requirement and the importance of transparency in school operations.
• Limited involvement of marginalized groups: There was minimal inclusion of minority communities, lower ethnic groups, and women in committee activities, affecting the inclusiveness of school governance.

3. Financial Management

• Misunderstanding of audit processes: Some schools confused social audits with financial audits, leading to incomplete or incorrect reporting.
• Insufficient follow-up: Only 38.3% of schools received follow-up from the DEO and resource persons (RPs) on audit findings.
• Poor record-keeping of school property: 25% of schools did not maintain proper records of school property, impacting its effective management.

4. Capacity and Training

• Capacity-building initiative: CSNN conducted training for master trainers and facilitators, who then trained 1,335 SAC and SMC members, teachers, and parents.
• Improved performance post-training: After the training, 22 out of 39 indicators in the Guidelines were significantly improved in the 20 schools in Nawalparasi.
• Training impact: The training program enhanced the capacity of community stakeholders to monitor and improve school governance.

Key Information

• Legal Framework: Nepal's education system has undergone a shift from centralized to community-based management since the 1999 Local Self Government Act.
• Social Audit Mandate: Social audits became mandatory in 2008–09 for all community-managed schools, as per the Third Amendment to Education Regulation.
• Role of Committees: SACs are responsible for assessing school activities, while SMCs manage school operations. However, many SACs lacked proper structure and function.
• Budget Allocations: Approximately 70–80% of school budgets are community-funded, and the MoE provides grants to support school management.
• Training and Tools: CSNN developed training programs, user-friendly leaflets, and data templates to facilitate the implementation of social audits.
• Policy Influence: Findings from the pilot were shared in national and district-level workshops to influence education policy and improve governance practices.

Policy Recommendations

• Strengthen the formation of school-level committees through democratic elections.
• Improve transparency by ensuring that social audit reports are shared with all stakeholders and reviewed in public hearings.
• Enhance the capacity of SACs and SMCs through continuous training and support.
• Promote the inclusion of marginalized groups in school governance.
• Develop and implement a clear code of conduct for teachers and school committees.
• Ensure that follow-up mechanisms are in place to address audit findings effectively.

Conclusion

The pilot project highlighted significant gaps in the implementation of social audits in Nepal's community schools, primarily due to poor capacity, lack of awareness, and weak accountability mechanisms. The training initiative led by CSNN showed measurable improvements in some areas, but broader systemic changes are needed to fully realize the potential of community-based school governance and social audits.