Factors influencing principals’ mobilization of resources in public secondary schools in Migwani sub-county, Kitui county, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing principals‟ mobilization of resources in public secondary schools in Migwani sub-County. The objectives of the study were, to assess the influence of school based factors on mobilization of resources, to determine the influence of principals‟ individual characteristics on mobilization of resources, to establish the influence of parent-based factors on mobilization of resources and to establish the influence of the sponsor on mobilization of resources. The study used census sampling method in selecting the respondents to be included in the study. The study adopted descriptive survey design with both qualitative and quantitative data analysis approaches. The target population of the study included all the principals of the 42 public secondary schools in Migwani subCounty. The instruments for data collection were structured and open ended questionnaires which were distributed to the respondents in good time. These questionnaires sought the opinion of the respondents on issues regarding to financial management practices in their schools viewed against their performance. To establish the validity of the instruments, a pilot study was conducted in one of the schools whose findings were not included in the actual study. The data obtained was analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) Computer software version 20.0 of International business management. Descriptive statistics of mean and percentages was used to analyze the data in order to meet the objectives of the study. Frequency tables were used to represent the data followed by data interpretation and findings. The findings of this study were that there was a strong positive correlation between school based factors and Principals‟ resource mobilization (r (degrees of freedom)= 0.72, p = p<0.05), there was a strong positive correlation between Principals‟ personal characteristics and Principals‟ resource mobilization (r = 0.78, p = 0.000), there is a strong positive correlation between parent - based factors and mobilization of resources in public secondary schools (r = 0.82, p<0.05) and there is a weak positive correlation between the role of the sponsor and mobilization of resources in public secondary schools(r = 0.41, p < 0.05).Based on the findings of this study the researcher wishes to make the recommendations; the government should increase the allocation of funds to public secondary schools for development so that the parents will not be burdened with more fees, the ministry of Education should encourage public private partnership in the funding of secondary education, the schools should be encouraged to start income generating projects to subsidize of the parents fees payment.