"When the money keeps rolling out you don't keep books
You can tell you've done well by the happy grateful looks
Accountants only slow things down, figures get in the way"

                                                            Evita,1976 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice

Ah. How Eva Peron in the late 1940’s stimulated her country. A “new Argentina” as the lyrics suggest. In Australia in 2010, we have the Revolution, we have the Building.

No one could argue against effective and efficient use of public monies as an imperative in Australia during this time of fiscal rectitude. So too, is bureaucratic transparency. Making a clever country is one thing, however, we need to ensure we are wise also. Wise, to the changes that the stimulus package entails. Wise too, importantly, for what is best for our schools and our students.

A new library or new classroom is in no way an indicator of educational achievement or academic success. While, to some, the exterior structure impresses, it is the innovative pedagogy and professional teaching practices that raise ceilings and students outcomes.

The auditing of monies involved with the BER (Building the Education Revolution) should have some relationship between the amount spent and the increase in educational achievements, if any. Or why else are we building these new “world-class” facilities? Surely giving Bob (the builder) a job has its merits but are we to spend over $16, 000,000,000 just to benefit our recession hit builders? The revolution has to be tied to something significant in educational terms too, not just buildings and dollars.

In the 57 page National Coordinator's Implementation Report on the progress of the BER, published in September 2009, less than two pages refer to accountability and auditing procedures. A start but the other 55 pages need to be more clearly defined in terms of outcomes and longer time lines for proper assessment of projects. After rushing the Development Applications through, how will these libraries and new buildings fare in 5 to 10 years?

Auditing procedures could be seen to be less than satisfactory in some government sponsored initiatives. Already, there is anecdotal evidence that the federal Home Insulation Program is providing some problematic issues with installation and quality. What guarantees are there for similar difficulties in structural deficiencies in our new education facilities?

We need more accountants slowing things down, so assessment of the success is not sticking a plaque somewhere on opening day. The educational outcomes  of our children are more important than a building, aren’t they?