The commonwealth auditor-general has taken a generally positive view of the Rudd government's schools stimulus program.
Auditor-General Ian McPhee released his report into Labor's $16.2 billion Building the Education Revolution (BER) program on Wednesday.
As part of the government's $42 billion economic stimulus package, the scheme was designed to support Australia's building industry in the face of the global economic crisis.
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'Early, positive indicators'
Mr McPhee found there were some early, positive indicators it had achieved this aim.
However, the auditor-general's report, nine months in the making, also revealed that project construction timeframes often were not being met.
All of the BER's $14.1 billion Primary Schools for the 21st Century projects - which provide for new libraries, halls, classrooms and refurbishments - should have started by December 1,
2009.
Of the 10,700 approved works, only 1995 - or 18.6 per cent - met the construction commencement milestones originally agreed to.
Eligibility for BER funding was meant to be conditional on schools meeting agreed start and completion milestones for buildings.
Deadline for early 2011
Smaller schools funded under rounds one and two of the program should have finished their projects by mid-January and the end of February, respectively.
The education department advised the audit office that only 15 per cent of round one projects, and eight per cent in round two, had actually achieved the milestone.
Mr McPhee found administrative decisions taken by the department in setting up the BER increased the effort needed to deliver the program.
