by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - The Guam Office of Public Accountability may have issued a clean audit for the Department of Education, but it doesn't mean the largest agency of the Government of Guam is making the grade. Auditors still noted several material weaknesses, such as the lack of reconciliation between the third-party fiduciary agent and DOE, the lack of supporting documents for non-appropriated funds expenditures and bank reconciliations which provides for the opportunity for theft.

Auditors also found that $4.2 million in good and services were received or incurred, but were not recorded in the appropriate period, general ledger balances were not timely reconciled to the subsidiary ledgers or supporting details - this meant that DOE management was administering funds this fiscal year without full knowledge of their financial position. And finally, auditors noted that doe management did not evaluate budgetary accounts carried forward from prior years, which may cause unfunded obligations.

DOE interim superintendent Taling Taitano said, "We have a comprehensive corrective action that us doe has required of us and we'll address some of those material weaknesses that were identified in the audit."

One of the bright spots in the audit there were no questioned costs or findings related to procurement. DOE, however, for the ninth consecutive year remains on high-risk status with the U.S. Department of Education.

You can view the audit in its entirety here.