Cafeteria improvements long overdue

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Feb 13, 2013

~~<p>Hawaii's public school cafeterias have scored poorly in reviews from internal audits in the past, and the most recent look shows little, if any, improvement. Enough studies, already. The Department of Education must act against what the most recent audit calls the "unacceptable" lack of oversight, monitoring and accountability and correct what's needed to operate at a modern and efficient level.</p>
<p>The scathing report was handed to the Board of Education's Audit Committee last week, finding that the schools' food services section "is operating with conflicting, outdated and non-comprehensive policies and procedures." The system is partly plagued with "great inefficiencies" caused by an overlap of the food services and fiscal services branches in food purchasing and meal payment collection from students. The duplication is both confusing and expensive — and opens the door to impropriety or fraud.</p>
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Hawaii's public school cafeterias have scored poorly in reviews from internal audits in the past, and the most recent look shows little, if any, improvement. Enough studies, already. The Department of Education must act against what the most recent audit calls the "unacceptable" lack of oversight, monitoring and accountability and correct what's needed to operate at a modern and efficient level.

The scathing report was handed to the Board of Education's Audit Committee last week, finding that the schools' food services section "is operating with conflicting, outdated and non-comprehensive policies and procedures." The system is partly plagued with "great inefficiencies" caused by an overlap of the food services and fiscal services branches in food purchasing and meal payment collection from students. The duplication is both confusing and expensive — and opens the door to impropriety or fraud. Login for more...