| dc.description.abstract | There have been a number of cases mainly reported through the local print and electronic
media of mismanagement and misappropriation of finances in public secondary schools. The
purpose of this study was to establish the causes of poor management of finances and their
remedies. Another purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is any significant
differences or relationship between selected characteristics of the headteachers including age,
gender, academic qualifications, professional qualification, administrative experience and
effective financial management of public secondary schools in Nairobi Province. Other factors
including competence of the school boards, bursars and headteachers training in financial
management and preparations of school budgets were also investigated. Additional areas of
investigation included .
Collection of school fees and other monies due to the school
Budgeting and forward planning
Project funding and management
Skills in writing of accounts books and accounting procedures
Tendering of goods and services School governance
Supervision of accounts staff
Authorization of expenditure; and
Auditing of school accounts amongst others
In the review of the literature for this study, the areas highlighted included financing of
education, budgeting, financial accounting, auditing, and malpractice in the management of
finances. A conceptual framework was developed encompassing the reviewed theoretical
dispensation.
target population was sampled to • include all the 47 headteachers in public secondary
schools in Nairobi Province. The questionnaire return rate was 100% for the primary
respondents, the headteachers and 80% for the secondary respondents, the school bursars. The
sample consisted of 45 headteachers and 41 school bursars with 5headteachers and 5 bursars
participating in a pilot study. The pilot study helped in enhancing the validity and reliability of
the questionnaires. The reliability of the headteachers questionnaire was found to be 0.88, a
level which is acceptable
Analysis of variance A, and two-tailed t-test and correlation coefficient were used to
test the ten null hypotheses. This was to establish whether there is any significance relationship
between headteachers selected characteristics and other factors and effective financial
management. The results revealed that there were no significant differences or relationships
between any of the selected headteachers characteristics and effective financial management.
Though there were limitations due to the confidentiality of some aspects of the chosen area of
study, attempts were made to access authentic documents, which supported various arguments
advanced as to the causes of poor management of public schools finances. Remedies were
suggested which may when implemented improve on financial management in public
secondary schools. Other sources of school finances were also suggested.
The study was ex-post factor in design. The basic instruments used to collect data were two
questionnaires with one designed for the headteachers and the other for bursars. Both
questionnaires contained three parts with part I and part II of both questionnaires containing
questions extracting demographic information, Part II of the headteachers questionnaire
contained matrix and unstructured questions with part III of the bursars questionnaires
containing unstructured questions .
The items in the questionnaires were tested for content validity and reliability by using the pilot
study. Likert Rating Scale was used in the structuring of some items in both questionnaires.
The study came up with research findings and recommendations. The findings included:
No significant relationship was found between effective financial management and age,
gender, academic and professional qualifications and training in financial management
of the headteacher .
No significant relationship was found between effective financial management and
school size, BOG members competence, headteachers budget preparation, school type,
bursars age and academic qualifications .
Most headteachers attached more importance to areas related to financial management
that include budgeting, collection of school fees, receipting and banking daily and entry
of accounts books in relation to school administration and management.
The following were indicated as major causes of poor financial management;
Inadequate training in financial management, insufficient understanding of accounting
procedures and incompetent accounts personnel. Most school bursars were carrying out tasks or activities, which were not within their
jurisdiction and leaving out tasks, which were their responsibility.
Recommendations included the following;
Employing adequate and skilled accounting personnel with requisite academic
qualifications, who should also be regularly in-serviced with relevant contemporary
skills .
Computerizing accounts departments in schools and using ICTs in financial
management of schools wherever feasible.
Appointment of competent school boards and divorcing politics from such
appointments .
Having regular and transparent audit inspections and cash surveys .
Empowering and involving PTAs in financial management, and
Following the set guidelines and policies in management of school finances, including
proper budgeting and writing of accounts books.
In addition to the above, the following additional remedies were recommended;
Working as per the budget Buying school items and merchandize III bulk and applying the set procurement
procedures MOST to give more financial support to school Schools to charge fees according to their needs and to be more accountable
Better remuneration package for accounts personnel
School fee to be paid on time through banks and using cheques wherever possible and Appointing qualified, transparent and accountable individuals as headteachers | en |
