Influence of Board of Management Governance Practices on Completion of School Projects in Public Secondary Schools in Rachuonyo North Sub County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of BOM governance practices on completion of school projects in public secondary schools in Rachuonyo North Sub County in Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives as the research objectives; BOMs’ project planning, resource mobilization by BOM, BOMs’ stakeholder involvement and project supervision by BOM in public secondary schools in Rachuonyo North Sub County in Kenya. The study was guided by stakeholder theory propounded by Freeman (1984). The study adopted descriptive research design. The study targeted principals, teachers, and BOM’s, in public secondary schools in Rachuonyo North Sub County in Kenya. The sample size constituted of constituted of 21 principals, 21 BOM chairpersons, 1 SCDOE and 105 teachers. Data collection tools were questionnaires and an interview guide. Instrument validity was assured through seeking expert opinion of university supervisors. Instrument reliability was determined through test-retest method. Descriptive and inferential statistics that included correlation and regression were used for analysis of quantitative and qualitative data which included mean and standard deviation, results presented in frequencies and percentages. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23.0 was used for data analysis. Key findings of the study were; Based on the first objective of the study, which was to investigate the influence of BOMs’ project planning on completion of school projects. It was found to be statistically significant by principals (M=3.91, r=0.981, r2=0.962; p<0.05), BOM (M=3.55, r=0.989, r2=0.978; p>0.05) and teachers (M=3.45, r=0.98, r2=0.96; p<0.05).Based on the second objective of the study, which was to investigate the influence of Resource Mobilization by BOM on Completion of School Projects. It was found to be statistically significant by principals (M=3.72, r=0.973, r2=0.947; p<0.05), BOM (M=3.89, r=0.981, r2=0.962; p>0.05) and teachers (M=3.52, r=0.576, r2=0.355; p<0.05). Based on the second objective of the study, which was to investigate the influence of BOMs’ Stakeholder Involvement on Completion of School Projects. It was found to be statistically significant by principals (M=3.61, r=0.980, r2=0.961; p<0.05), BOM (M=2.80, r=0.894, r2=0.800; p>0.05) and teachers (M=3.62, r=0.980, r2=0.961; p<0.05).Based on the second objective of the study, which was to investigate the influence of Project Supervision by BOM on Completion of School Projects in Public. It was found to be statistically significant by principals (M=3.77, r=0.987, r2=0.975; p<0.05), BOM (M=3.75, r=0.961, r2=0.924; p>0.05) and teachers (M=2.51, r=0.644, r2=0.441; p<0.05).This study concludes that funds for completion of projects in secondary schools were insufficient and unreliable. Completion of the projects is also compromised by the poor relations between various stakeholders due to personal interests and allowing negative politics to interfere with equitable distribution of available resources among schools. The study recommends that, the Ministry of Education should ensure that school leadership, through relevant tailor-made courses, is constantly equipped with the necessary knowledge on financial management and accountability. The government should encourage the school management to aim at diversifying their sources of funds by engaging in income generating activities. This will minimize the schools dependency on government funds alone thus ensuring successful completion of school projects.