Parental Involvement in Financial Management of Selected Secondary Schools in Gatundu North District - Kiambu County, Kenya.

Abstract

Despite the government efforts to fund secondary schools, conflict between parents and school administration, due to unaffordable fee and imposed school projects still exists. The study was hoped to contribute great deal in the mentioned district. In connection to this, the purpose of the study was to present the findings of an investigation into the contribution of parents to the financial management of secondary schools in Gatundu North District. The study was based of the following objectives. (i) To determine the contributions made by Parents towards Secondary School Financial Management. (ii) To investigate the outcome of Parental involvement in the Financial Management of Secondary School. (iii) To assess strategies of overcoming Barriers to Parental Involvement in Financial Management. The study employed structural functionalism/ consensus and conflict theories. This study was conducted in Gatundu North District and it was a Survey Research. Gatundu North District has a population of Thirty-Three Public Secondary Schools and Three Private Secondary Schools. Only Public Schools were involved in the study. The schools to be studied was categorized into four groups; boys boarding, girls boarding, mixed boarding and mixed day. The representative sample was One County Boys Boarding Schools, One County Girls Boarding Schools, Two Mixed District Boarding Schools and Eight Mixed Day Secondary Schools. Piloting of the instruments was done in a mixed boarding secondary school two weeks before the main study. The pilot school was included in the study. Primary data was collected by use of questionnaires and interview schedule. The data colleted was analyzed using descriptive statistics. It entailed use of mean, mode and frequencies (measures of central tendency). It also included use of total percentages tabulation, graphs and charts to enhance better presentation of information. Finally a summary of findings, conclusion and recommendation was done. The study revealed that majority of schools involved parents in financial management. This was mainly done through Board of Governors (BoG) and Parents teachers Association (PTA). The study also revealed that, there existed various positive outcomes as a result of parental involvement in financial management. Moreover, the findings clearly revealed that, there existed barriers to parental involvement of which there were no strategies of overcoming them. Based on findings of the study, parental involvement in the area of financial management is above average in the district but also a good number of schools were found that they don’t involve their parents.