B.C.’s education minister has ordered a forensic audit of the Vancouver School Board, accusing trustees of playing “political games” by rejecting the province’s budget proposal.

Mike Bernier announced the audit Thursday, chiding the board for voting down an offer that would have allowed it to sell off non-school property, including its ownership in Kingsgate Mall, to help cover its current $21.8 million shortfall.

“Parents and students in Vancouver need certainty that every available dollar is going to services to students and not into political agendas and empty seats,” Bernier said in a statement.

“Our audit is going to help end the political games in Vancouver.”

Vancouver’s is the only board in the province that didn’t pass a balanced budget by Thursday’s deadline, he added.

Though legislation allows the ministry to replace any board that fails to balance its budget by June 30, Bernier said there are no immediate plans to fire the trustees.

The VSB rejected the ministry’s proposal Wednesday night, arguing it would be short-sighted to sell off capital assets to pay for operating costs.

“It doesn’t deal with any of our problems,” board chair Mike Lombardi said. “In fact, it compounds our problems for next year. It would make our shortfall $5.5 million more next year.”

Earlier this month, the VSB announced plans to potentially close 12 schools starting next year. The drastic measure would help the district reach 95 per cent enrolment capacity, a provincial requirement for any schools that want to see funding for much-needed seismic upgrades.

Hitting that target would also save the district an estimated $37 million, according to an independent report released in January, though experts warn it would put Vancouver schools at serious risk of overcrowding in the years to come.

With files from CTV Vancouver’s Penny Daflos and The Canadian Press