Training of GWSPA Trainers
To further support the ongoing sustainability of GWSPAS
through training Stanton Partners prepared and delivered a program of training
to develop the skills of COA staff in the presentation of GWSPA. This training
included:
Participation in a Train the Trainer workshop; Participation
in the GWSPA Workshop; Participation in a pilot audit team; Presentation under
supervision of part of a GWSPA Workshop.
This was a comprehensive development program that combined
transfer of technical knowledge, skills development and skills application
through practical experience.
Pilot Audits
The first five pilot audits were delivered as follows:
1. One team worked on strategic planning for the project
pilot audits and a short term GWSPA audit program for 2003. At the conclusion of
the pilot audit the team developed and had approved by the Chairman a COA
Strategic Plan for GWSPA. The Plan included a list of proposed pilot audit
topics (both government-wide and sectoral), draft audit objectives, scope and
agencies for each audit for the conduct of GWSPA in COA. The Strategic Planning
team also worked with Stanton Partners to refine the Strategic Planning
methodology to include a workable ranking system in the GWSPA Manual.
2. One pilot GWSPA commenced on Monday 15 July 2002 and
completed in December 2002 on the provision of textbooks
3. One pilot GWSPA commenced on Monday 15 July 2002 and
completed in December 2002 on the management of solid waste in Metro Manila
4. One pilot GWSPA commenced on Monday 22 July 2002 and
completed in December 2002 on aspects of the delivery of the socialized housing
program
5. One pilot GWSPA commenced on Monday 29 July to review the
implementation of aspects of the Communal Irrigation System.
Each of the latter four pilot audits involved teams of 10-13
COA officers per audit and required the services of those officers on a full
time basis for a three-month period. For two of the pilot audit teams this more
easily undertaken than others. Two of the pilot audit teams were sourced from
the newly created Management Services Branch and would be continuing to
undertake GWSPA after the project.
Throughout the pilot audits the Performance Audit Specialist
spent considerable time with the teams working through the audit issues and
assisting them to develop their analysis and reporting skills. This included
identification of impact and cause and affect as it related to the audit
findings. On the whole the teams learned very quickly but two areas require
strengthening in the future - the timeliness of reporting and the depth of
analysis.
Stanton Partners commends all of the pilot audit teams for
their support and enthusiasm on the audits. They were more complex than previous
audits undertaken by the teams and with the adoption of a new methodology the
teams worked very hard to complete the work on time. Their willingness to
listen, adopt new ideas and bring their considerable experiences in was crucial
to the audits success.
The final two pilot audits (one government-wide and one
sectoral) commenced in late November 2002 with the assistance of the Performance
Audit Specialist in the planning stages and using the strategic planning results
of the pilot team. Two teams of approximately 10 COA officers largely sourced
from Management Services but with essential agency auditor input have been
working largely on a full time basis. Fieldwork is to be completed by the end of
February with reporting to occur in March 2003.
GWSPA Presentations
In addition the Performance Audit Specialist and the pilot
audit teams undertook two formal presentations to the COA Chairman,
Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, UNDP, PAGF and other COA senior staff.
The presentations were conducted in August and November and provided an
excellent opportunity to explain the role of the project, the activities
undertaken and the methodology being adopted. The response from those who
attended were very positive encouraging more staff involvement and understanding
of the project and GWSPA.
Future GWSPA Activities
In 2003 the final two pilot audit teams will complete their
fieldwork and reporting. They will work closely with Stanton Partners to gain
feedback on the issues arising form the audit and the presentation of these in
the GWSPA and Agency Reports.
In March 2003 the Performance Audit Specialist will return to
Manila for the final project visit. During this two-week period the Performance
Audit Specialist will:
Review the draft reports of the final two pilot audits and
provide detailed feedback
Prepare and present a two day workshop on analysis and
reporting of GWSPAs including case studies and examples
Assist Management Services to prepare an implementation
approach for the GWSPA Strategic Plan for the coming year
Provide a final report on the project.
Stanton Partners would like to take this opportunity to thank
the COA Chairman, Commissioners, Steering Committee, Project Management Team,
audit staff who participated in the training and pilot audits and the project
support staff for their enthusiasm and hard work on the project. The project
outputs as they relate to GWSPA have all been met, if not exceeded. The project
success was due to the cooperation and support provided to Stanton Partners by
COA and in particular the participants’ willingness to learn, to share
experiences and challenge their thinking.
