São Paulo State Audit Finds Widespread Failures in School-Supply Management

Overview

• The Tribunal de Contas do Estado de São Paulo, which ran a surprise audit Monday across about 300 municipalities, found problems in how school materials are stored and delivered.
• Aggregated results showed weak controls and safety risks, including 66% of sites without stock procedures, 59% of schools without delivered uniforms, 75% operating without a fire-safety certificate, and 89% lacking contingency plans.
• Auditors flagged concrete cases such as 2023 uniforms still in stock in Várzea Paulista, dozens of unused computers bought in 2023 in Salto, materials stored on the floor in Guapiara, and expired fire extinguishers with no fire permit in Nova Odessa.
• TCE-SP said it will compile a detailed report, notify mayors and education secretaries to correct issues on a short timeline, and use persistent failures to support disapproval of municipal accounts if needed.
• The court deployed its 20 regional units and real-time reporting tools to trace items from purchase to the classroom, timing the sweep early in the school year to push fixes so students actually receive kits and uniforms.