Inspectorate determines that the Ministry of Education and Training did not comply with the Prime Minister's direction

On December 24, the Government Inspectorate announced the Conclusion of the Inspection of a number of projects with difficulties and problems at the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (Consensation, Support, Resettlement and Urgent Infrastructure Project for Thai Nguyen University Central Park).

In particular, the Government Inspectorate said that the Ministry of Education and Training approved the investment policy to adjust the project from October 16, 2024, and has not yet approved the adjusted project.

This is a problem that has led to the project not being implemented, while the project has been approved for a medium-term public investment plan for the period 2021-2025 according to Decision No. 1681/QDTTg dated December 28, 2024 of the Prime Minister.

This problem stems from a number of shortcomings, defects, and violations as follows:

Compiling and submitting a Report on proposed adjusted investment policies

Thai Nguyen University (DHTN) has prepared and submitted a Report proposing an adjusted investment policy with the original project name "Comensation and resettlement support project for the construction of DHTN in the period of 2007 - 2010" to "Comensation, support, resettlement and urgent infrastructure project for the DHTN central area" which is inaccurate and does not ensure the legal basis for the authority to approve the adjusted investment policy; the land area for infrastructure construction cannot determine the area that has been cleared and the area that has not been cleared, and there is not enough content on investment scale, due to the lack of data on land area that still needs to be cleared of the Project.

Appraisal of adjusted investment policies

The Department of Infrastructure and the Department of Planning and Finance did not discover that the DHTN had prepared and submitted a Report proposing an adjusted investment policy that was not accurate, did not ensure a legal basis, did not have the Prime Minister's direction as requested by the Ministry of Education and Training, still agreed with the DHTN's proposal, concluded that the adjusted investment policy of the Project was in accordance with the 2019 Law on Public Investment, Decree No. 40/2020/ND-CP and submitted to the Ministry of Education and Training to be eligible for approval of the adjusted investment policy.

Approval of adjusted investment policies

The Ministry of Education and Training approved the adjusted investment policy incorrectly, not ensuring the legal basis for the authority to approve the adjusted investment policy; approve the adjusted investment policy without a document from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, not in accordance with the direction of the Prime Minister in Document No. 7295/VPCP-KTTH dated October 7, 2024 of the Government Office.

"The Ministry of Education and Training, the Department of Facilities, the Department of Planning and Finance, the Ministry of Transport and related units and individuals (depending on each period) lack responsibility in the work of preparing, appraising, and approving adjusted investment policies, leading to inaccurate implementation of investment policy adjustments, not ensuring a legal basis" - the Inspection Conclusion Notice stated.

The Government Inspector General recommended that the Prime Minister direct the Ministry of Education and Training to organize a review and handle responsibilities according to the provisions of law for Ministers and Deputy Ministers assigned to be in charge of the Project (depending on each period) related to the shortcomings, defects, and violations mentioned in the Inspection Conclusion, and report to the Prime Minister.

For the State budget, the Government Inspectorate recommends that the Minister of Education and Training, under his authority, direct the State budget to continue reviewing the implementation of the Step I Project and the Step II Project and be fully responsible before the law when violations, losses and waste occur; implement according to his authority or recommend and propose to competent authorities measures to overcome, rectify, and prevent violations, losses and waste in the management and implementation of investment projects.

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