Influence of Resource Allocation on the Performance of Public Secondary Schools in Meru County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70619/vol6iss4pp29-41-842Keywords:
Resource allocation, school performance, instructional resources, public secondary schools, strategic implementation, Meru CountyAbstract
Performance of public secondary schools in Kenya remains uneven despite increased investment in education and the widespread adoption of strategic planning frameworks to improve academic outcomes and institutional effectiveness. Resource allocation has increasingly become a critical determinant of school performance because it influences instructional effectiveness, staffing adequacy, infrastructural support, and the availability of teaching and learning resources. This study examined the influence of resource allocation on the performance of public secondary schools in Meru County, Kenya. The study was anchored on the Resource-Based View Theory and Higgins’ 8-S Strategy Implementation Framework and adopted a mixed-methods approach using descriptive and correlational research designs. The target population comprised 395 public secondary school principals and 9 Sub-County Directors of Education, and a sample of 199 principals was selected using proportionate random sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and interview schedules, which underwent validity and reliability testing prior to the main study. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and bivariate linear regression analysis. The findings revealed that resource allocation had a positive and statistically significant influence on the performance of public secondary schools (β = 0.139, t = 8.47, p = 0.000). The regression model yielded an R² of 0.287, indicating that resource allocation explained 28.7% of the variation in school performance. The regression model was statistically significant (F = 71.67, p < 0.05), confirming the predictive effect of resource allocation on institutional performance. The study concluded that the effective allocation of instructional materials, staffing, financial resources, and infrastructure significantly enhances academic and non-academic performance in public secondary schools. The study recommends strengthening institutional resource planning, equitable distribution of educational resources, and monitoring systems to improve school performance outcomes in public secondary schools in Meru County, Kenya.
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