Principal’s Visionary Leadership and Financial Management in Secondary Schools in Meru County, Kenya
Keywords:
Principal’s Visionary Leadership, Financial Management, Secondary Schools, Meru County, KenyaAbstract
An ideal funding system in a secondary school provides a key avenue for ensuring that its operations are running smoothly. It should have reliable structures of administration with competent staff such as the bursars and accounts clerks. Nevertheless, that has not been the case due to delays caused by the government when releasing funds and fees paid by the students to secondary schools. The purpose of the study was to investigate principals' visionary leadership and financial management in secondary schools in Meru County, Kenya. The study used a survey research design that was descriptive and cross-sectional. The target population was 389 secondary schools which were sampled through a random sampling method to get schools. It further used a purposive sampling method to obtain 117 principals and 117 bursars. The study administered questionnaires and also collected secondary data. Piloting was done in twelve secondary schools in Tharaka Nithi County. The study analysed quantitative data using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, and mean. It also carried out correlation analysis to test hypothesis. The study found that there was low professional advancement of staff working in the accounts office which was attributed to a failure of principals to push for the same, fearing that the staff may leave the school for greener pastures after the training. The study recommends that principals should make the initiative of ensuring that they motivate the accounting staff by equipping themselves with the skills and expertise for career advancement.
References
African Union (2021). Transforming education in Africa: An evidence-based overview and recommendations for long-term improvements. https://www.unicef.org/media/106686/file/Transforming%20Education%20in%20Africa.pdf
Akala, B.M. (2022). Kenyan education reform: A case of Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) in secondary schools. Reform, 2(3), 12-22. https://doi.org/10.1021/j.swatp.2022.110112
All Africa (2022). Rwanda: Govt to use e-system to ease funding for school feeding. https://allafrica.com/stories/202201120011.html
Berhanu, T. (2018). Practice and challenges of financial resource management in Haddiya Zone public secondary schools [Master’s Thesis]. Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. http://213.55.95.56/bitstream/handle/123456789/16959/Tefera%20Berhanu.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Brookings (2022). Improving access to quality public education in Africa. https://www.brookings.edu/testimonies/improving-access-to-quality-public-education-in-africa/
Doss, W., Rayfield, J., Burris, S., & Lawver, D. (2021). A quantitative content analysis of survey research. Journal of Agricultural Education, 62(3), 310-328 https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2021.03310
Economic and Social Research Council (2022). Annual report on education spending in England. https://ifs.org.uk/uploads/R204-2021-Education-Spending-Report-1.pdf
Fiedler, F. E. (1964). A contingency model of leadership effectiveness. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 1(10), 149-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60051-9.
Galigao, R. P., Lacandula, I.M., Pilapil, F.A., & Queniahan, M.C. (2019). Linking the level of school financial management among school heads: A case study in Mandaue District, Cebu, Philippines. International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT), 8(7), 383-386. https://www.ijert.org/research/linking-the-level-of-school-financial-management-among-school-heads-a-case-study-in-mandaue-district-cebu-philippines-ijertv8is070144.pdf
Jiang, N., Sumintono, B., Perera, C. J., Harris, A., & Jones, M. S. (2018). Training preparation and the professional development of principals in Henan Province, China: formal and informal learning. Asia Pacific Education Review, 19(1), 41–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-017-9513-6
Kitur, K. (2021). Relationship between principals’ transformational leadership style and student academic performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in Bomet County, Kenya [Master’s Thesis]. Maasai Mara University, Kenya. http://ir-library.mmarau.ac.ke:8080/bitstream/handle/123456789/12359/relationship%20between%20principals%e2%80%99%20transformational.pdf?sequence=1&isallowed=y
Li, Y. (2020). A review of empirical research on transformational school leadership in China (2010–2019). ECNU Review of Education, 5(1), 156-184. https://doi.org/10.1177/2096531120942242
Ministry of Education- Ethiopia (2020). A national study on the magnitude of out-of-school children in Ethiopia: 2020 report synthesis. https://luminosfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/National-Study-on-the-Magnitude-of-Out-of-School-Children-in-Ethiopia_2020-Report-Synthesis.pdf
Ministry of Education- Kenya (2019). Basic education statistical booklet. https://africacheck.org/sites/default/files/Kenya-Basic-Education-Statistical-Booklet-2019.pdf
Mitchell, T. R., Biglan, A., Oncken, G. R., & Fiedler, F. E. (1970). The contingency model: Criticism and suggestions. The Academy of Management Journal, 13(3), 253–267. https://doi.org/10.2307/254963
Mutisya, A. M., & Mwania, J. M. (2018). The influence of principal related factors on mobilization of financial resources in day secondary schools in Kitui central sub-county, Kitui County, Kenya. Journal of Education and Practice, 9(12), 50-58. https://core.ac.uk/reader/234641550
National Conference of State Legislatures (2022). Elementary and secondary school emergency relief fund tracker. https://www.ncsl.org/ncsl-in-dc/standing-committees/education/cares-act-elementary-and-secondary-school-emergency-relief-fund-tracker.aspx
Public Policy Institute of California (2022). Equitable state funding for school facilities assessing California’s school facility program. https://www.ppic.org/publication/equitable-state-funding-for-school-facilities/
Sabwami, K. M., Areba, G. N., Abenga, E. (2020). Effect of Principals’ practices of transformational leadership on the management of school financial resources in public secondary schools of Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya. Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education 4(3), 101-112. https://jriiejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/JRIIE-4-3-011.pdf
Shabtai, G. (2022). Free secondary education: Limited boost to wages, but gains for health. https://www.devex.com/news/free-secondary-education-limited-boost-to-wages-but-gains-for-health-102895
Sobunkola, A.E. (2021). Visionary leadership strategies implemented by principals at good-performing schools to improve the pass rate in grade 12 [Master’s Thesis]. University of South Africa, South Africa. http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/27668/dissertation_sobunkola_ae.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Taber, K. S. (2018). The use of Cronbach’s Alpha when developing and reporting research instruments in science education. Research in Science Education, 48(1), 1273–1296 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-016-9602-2
UNICEF (2018). Transforming education in Africa. An evidence-based overview and recommendations for long-term improvements. https://www.unicef.org/media/106686/file/Transforming%20Education%20in%20Africa.pdf
US Department of Education (2021a). Department of Education announces actions to advance equity in education. https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-announces-actions-advance-equity-education
US Department of Education (2021b). FY 2021: Agency financial report. https://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/2021report/agency-financial-report.pdf
World Education News (2019). Education system profiles: Education in China. https://wenr.wes.org/2019/12/education-in-china-3
