MONITORING MUNICIPAL EDUCATION FINANCE MANAGEMENT IN 5 MUNICIPALITIES OF KOSOVO

The project “Monitoring municipal education finance management in 5 municipalities of Kosovo” was implemented in the municipalities of Istog, Gjilan, Pristina, Gjakova and Vushtrri. Such a choice of municipalities is made based on the dynamics of the participation of these municipalities in the process of decentralization of finance in education. The aim of the project was to establish a relationship of accountability and oversight between the public administration and citizens.

Main project activities and results:

1. Preparation of the monitoring framework

– KEC in cooperation with experts and stakeholders has prepared the monitoring framework, in which the areas and indicators of monitoring are identified.

2. Training of 15 monitors

– KEC has selected from 3 representatives in each of the 5 selected municipalities to prepare them as monitors

All monitors participated in 3 workshops with the topics:

• Corruption – meaning, forms of manifestation and strategies for its fight,

• Central and local finance – collection and spending with particular emphasis on finance in education,

• Monitoring Framework – practical aspects of monitoring.

3. Selection of schools and implementation of the first phase of the project During 2010, within the project were realized the following activities:

1. Entering data from questionnaires and processing results.- During february and March the monitors have done the entry of questionnaires data on base data and their processing with spss program. The results are arranged by categories: legislation, budget planning, self-income and budget execution.

2. Organizing semi-structured interviews.

– In each municipality, interviews with:

• Municipal Director of Education,

• Finance Officer at THE NDC,

• Two school directors,

• The head of the school council,

• The chairman of the parents’ council at the municipal level,

• The internal auditor of the municipality.

3. Analysis of budget revenues.

4. Preparation of the research report and presentation of data.

– The research methodology and its results are summarized in a final report. The results of the report were presented during the roundtables that were organized. The report was sent to representatives of MEST, CCAs, those of the World Bank dealing with decentralization of the budget of THEDEs, as well as other relevant structures.