Effectiveness of the board of management on resource management in public primary schools in Turbo Division, Eldoret West district, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish effectiveness of Board of management on resource management in Public Primary Schools in Turbo Division , Eldoret West District, Kenya .The specific objectives of the study were; to establish the effectiveness of BOM on recruitment of staff in public primary schools, to establish the effectiveness of BOM on procurement in public primary school ,to establish the effectiveness of BOM on mobilization of parents in public primary schools and to determine the challenges faced by the BOM in sourcing for funds in public primary schools. The study was based on theory of Gamage (2006a; 1996b), who has defined SBM as a pragmatic approach to a formal alteration of the bureaucratic model of school administration with a more democratic structure. The study was both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Descriptive survey research design was used in conducting the study. The target population was 421. The selection of the study sample was done using stratified random sampling, purposive sampling and census. Purposive sampling and census was used to select AEO and Headteachers, whereas stratified random sampling were used to select BOM members. The respondents were: 1 Education Officer (AEO), 30 Headteachers, and 117 representatives of Board of management (BOM). Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. Reliability of the research instruments was tested through test-retest method after a pilot study that was conducted in one school in the neighboring district and a correlation coefficient of 0.75 was obtained and thus considered high enough to test reliability. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques which included frequencies and percentages. The findings of study showed that majority of the respondents were of the view that BOM do not help in raising funds for teaching and non-teaching staff, that the staffs were employed by the school to improve the teacher to pupil ratio, efficiency and accountability and that BOM do not mobilize enough funds to be used to pay staff. The study further established that the BOM allows for vetting of suppliers and that the respondents had little faith on the capability of the BOM to lead a proper and transparent procurement process .It was shown by the study findings that BOM have not significantly mobilized parents to get involved in the resource management,do very little to mobilize parents to support the management of public primary schools .However, the study further established that the BOM members help enforce community stakeholders‟ involvement in School management, and encourage community financing of public primary schools. The study findings indicated that lack of training by the government on management issues is a challenge faced by BOM members in Turbo Division Personal interest in the schools administration and academic qualification also emerged as being among the challenges. The study recommended that the school recruit competent staff, allow for open and transparent procurement, mobilize community stakeholders‟ involvement in support of school management and BOM members should undergo a comprehensive training programme. A study should be conducted to establish the training needs of teachers and BOM members on school resource management at public and primary schools in the country and resource management at private primary schools.