Kim Adair-MacPherson is the auditor general of New Brunswick. (Submitted/Office of the Auditor General)
In Volume one of the province’s Auditor General report, Kim Adair-MacPherson was critical of capital spending for schools and decisions surrounding infrastructure.
Auditor General Kim Adair-MacPherson says it doesn’t always appear spending decisions in Department of Education capital budgets are evidence-based or objective.
“We have roughly 300 schools across the province. It is important with each capital budget decision that it is an evidence based decision. We found that the department has a new tool, that they have been using since 2014. It is called, the QBL, quadruple bottom line. That is a good indication that progress is being made. It is a tool, that helps take all of the projects, score them and then rank them. That is the basis for the department to make recommendations.”
But, she used the example of one school in the Education Minister Dominic Cardy’s riding that appeared to jump from 43rd to 3rd on the ranking of new school builds, based on a new methodology.
“There is definitely a space capacity issue in the need for Hanwell, but was it the highest priority need? That was what we did not get the evidence for to be able to conclude, that Hanwell was an evidence based decision,” she says.
Adair-MacPherson also referenced Hillcrest and Bessborough Schools, “The change and proceeding with that project because of the change of the government. Those are indicators of non evidence based decisions, and the process needs to improve. So that it is solid and that there is objectivity with no influence from other factors.”
She also stated there is still no specific plan for aging school infrastructure, and no strategy to deal almost $283 million worth of deferred maintenance issues.
“If this is not addressed,” Adair-MacPherson says, “The department will have to lower its quality standards for schools or be forced to close educational facilities.
She says Priority one, which is health and safety, those costs are being covered, but anything beyond that isn’t being looked after.
“The longer you delay, those problems compound and become priority one problems. So that is why we are emphasizing the need for a long term infrastructure plan to address the management if these assets,” Adair-MacPherson says.
The auditor general expressed disappointment with the department’s responses to the 14 recommendations made in this chapter and said she is not optimistic recommended improvements will be implemented.
The full report is available online
