Audit of USAID/Tunisia"s participant training program

The audit covers the period 6/90-2/93. The program"s effectiveness is questionable. According to Mission records, 304 students completed their academic training during the period 6/90-2/93 at an estimated cost to the U.S. Government of $12.1 million. However, 175 of these students (more than 57%) have not returned to Tunisia, so that $7.2 million of the $12.1 million was not used effectively. Of the 175, 130 are still studying in the United States without A.I.D. authorization, and the remainder are living/working in the United States or third countries. In addition, the Mission has identified another 140 earlier participants who evidently were also non-returnees. The above situation has come about notwithstanding a 1987 pledge by the Government of Tunisia to bond future participants and require them to return home upon completion of their training. Moreover, USAID/T itself did not always follow A.I.D. Handbook procedures to ensure that participants were screened and selected properly, and did not always properly monitor and follow-up on graduates. The audit recommends that USAID/T set a timeframe for the return of those participants who are studying in the United States without A.I.D. authorization, and issue bills of collection to the Government of Tunisia for those who do not return within that timeframe, as well as for all Tunisian participants who did not return as agreed. USAID/T should also determine whether the Tunisia participant training program should continue, and if it does, make participant bonding a condition precedent.