Abstract:

Digital education policies have expanded rapidly as governments seek to reduce territorial inequalities, improve learning outcomes and foster innovation through digital technologies. However, a persistent challenge lies in the weak integration between policy implementation, monitoring, and evidence‐based learning. This paper examines the evolving role of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in strengthening the evaluation of digital education policies, moving beyond traditional fiscal oversight toward the generation of policy‐relevant knowledge.

Using the case of Colombia, the study analyses a sectoral evaluation conducted by the Comptroller General that assessed national digital education and connectivity initiatives within the framework of the Technologies for Learning policy (CONPES 3988). The analysis focuses on governance arrangements, territorial disparities, information quality, and limitations of existing monitoring systems, rather than on financial efficiency.

Findings show that SAIs can significantly enhance digital education policies by integrating evaluation criteria related to policy coherence, implementation capacity, and use of evidence, particularly in decentralized and resource‐constrained territories. The paper argues that audit institutions are emerging as strategic actors in the governance of educational innovation, contributing to accountability while also supporting learning‐oriented policy improvement.

This contribution is relevant for policymakers, evaluators, and education researchers interested in institutional innovation, evidence‐based policy, and the governance of digital transformation in education systems.

Keywords:

Digital education policy, governance and accountability, Supreme Audit Institutions, public policy evaluation, ICT in education, digital transformation, evidence-based policymaking.