dc.description.abstract | Science Education is a pillar in technological advancement, national wealth creation, health
improvement, and spearheading industrialization of any nation. However, low achieving learners
in sciences in national examinations has remained a challenge in Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Studies have attributed low learner achievement in science subjects to inadequacy, unavailability
and inappropriate utilization of instructional resources. The purpose of this study was to examine
the effects of budgeting process on utilization of science instructional resources in secondary
schools in Kenya. The objectives were to assess the influence of policy framework, stakeholder
participation, budget planning, budget monitoring and budget control on utilization of
instructional resources; and the relationship between utilization and learners` achievements in
science subjects’ in secondary schools in Nairobi County. The study was anchored on
information processing theory and employed correlation research design to provide a statistical
measure on the influence of budgeting process on utilization of instructional resources and how it
affects learning outcomes in science based disciplines. The study targeted 132 principals, 1,491
science teachers and 23,393 form 4 students from public and privates secondary schools in
Nairobi County to obtain information. Using stratified random sampling a sample of 33
secondary schools (2 national, 15 county and 16 private) was obtained. Purposively the principal
and 3 science teachers were selected and randomly 6 form four students were sampled per
school. This gave 330 respondents. Questionnaires were used to collect data from science
teachers on their role in budgeting process as well as utilization and availability of instructional
resources. Students provided information on utilization and availability of instructional resources
by filling questionnaires. Principals were interviewed on school financial management policy in
relation to budgeting and utilization of instructional resources. Data analysis was based on
descriptive and inferential statistics using SSPS version 23. The study established that secondary
schools in Nairobi have financial management policy and that teachers participate in budget
planning, monitoring and control. Further it revealed that there is significant effect of
stakeholders’ participation (β=.254, p=.034) and budget planning process (β=.331, p=.019) on
utilization of instructional resources in science instruction. School financial management policy
(β=.016, p=.912) budget monitoring (β=.019, p=.894), and budget control (β=.009, p=.940) had
no significant effect. The study recommends that the government should ensure that secondary
schools have a financial management framework to guide budgeting for instructional resources.
Further, science teachers need be involved in decision making in instructional management
related process from strategic planning, budget planning, monitoring and control. Also,
principals need to decentralize decision making through delegation to departments in effort to
improve instructional management. Finally further research should also be done on the
relationship between schools instructional management policy and learning outcomes in science. | en_US |