Audit of Zimbabwe basic education and skills training program no. 613-K-606

Audit covers the period 7/83-9/89. To date, the program has financed the construction of educational facilities at three colleges and the National Education Service Center, as well as the purchase of equipment to be used in these institutions. However, program-funded facilities and equipment worth about $6 million are underutilized or not used at all due to a lack of detailed planning, trained staff, and spare parts. Moreover, recent orders of $1.55 million in similar equipment are also likely to be underutilized. Coordination of TA personnel with counterparts has been poor. The program stationed 19 TA personnel in Zimbabwe to teach in colleges and provide on-the-job training to counterparts upon their return from U.S. training. However, only 11 local counterparts were sent for U.S. training and none of these returned in time to work with the TA personnel. Future program agreements should require counterparts to be identified and placed before TA personnel are contracted.