education

Program spending raises numerous questions

CARLOS LEMOS/LA PRENSA

costly: A government program to improve technology in schools has been criticized for the way it spent $29 million in funding.1100258

The government program “Conéctate al Conocimiento,” which spent millions of dollars to bring better technology to the country's schools, is coming under scrutiny for the amount of money it spent on consultants and for contracts issued to politically-connected individuals.

In the middle of the investigation is Gaspar Humberto Tarté Herrera, the director of the Secretaría de la Presidencia para la Innovación Gubernamental. He was a primary supporter of the project within the government of President Martín Torrijos.

But according to records uncovered by La Prensa, his lobbying efforts ultimately improved the welfare of his family, as well as that of the nation's children.

His brother, Alex Tarté, has been linked to three companies, Alpha y Omega, Servicios Aro and Metro Painting, that received lucrative contracts to provide goods and services to the program.

Educators and others have heavily criticized the “Conéctate al Conocimiento” program for shoddy work and the purchase of overpriced equipment, most notably computers.

Many of the computer labs that were built as part of the program will have to be renovated, even though, in many cases, they are only a few months old.

In response to inquiries from La Prensa and the Programa de Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD), which funded part of the program, Conéctate officials said that the hiring of companies connected to Alex Tarté was not improper.

The program has also come under criticism for the amount of money it spent on consulting fees.

Of the program's $29 million budget, it has spent $670,454 on external consultants, a figure that officials said was needed to ensure its success.

One consultant, Alberto Cañas, of Costa Rica, received $320,000 for his role in the program, an average of $7,000 a month, or the same pay that a government minister receives.

Cañas' wife, Carmen María Collado, was paid $128,000 as an outside consultant. She directed a program called “aprendizaje por proyecto” which ended in December of 2007.

Mexican Germán Escorcia Saldarriaga, who is a former business associate of Gaspar Tarté, receives $6,000 a month.

Fernando Lasso, deputy director of the program, defended the spending, saying that the initiatives introduced to the country's education system by the consultants are “used at the highest levels of learning.”

He also stressed that Cañas has given an international reputation to the program, which is already seen as an example by other countries.

“It is an honor to have him with us,” Lasso said.