The main purpose of this study was to investigate the skills
of the head of schools in managing unit costs for financing students in public
secondary schools in the Arumeru District Council. Effective financial
management is critical for optimizing the limited resources available to public
schools, and the competence of school heads in handling unit costs plays a
pivotal role in this regard. The study was guided by the following specific
objectives: To examine how the heads of schools are familiar with the concepts
of unit cost; To determine the extent to which the heads of schools are
familiar with factors that affect students’ unit cost; To examine the extents
head of schools are involved in the budget allocation processThe research
employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and
qualitative interviews with school heads, teachers, and district education
officers. The design used in this study is a convergent research design. The
target population for this study was all heads of secondary school teachers in
public schools in Meru district, Tanzania.
A sample size of 30 heads of secondary schools (total sampling), 60
secondary school teachers, and 1 district education officer to provide
supplementary insights in this research. The findings reveal that while some
heads of schools demonstrate proficient financial management skills, others
lack the necessary expertise, leading to inefficiencies in resource allocation
and utilization. Also, the study revealed that the heads of schools are involved
in the process of making a budget.
However, the key factors influencing their financial management skills
include professional training, experience, and support from district education
authorities. The report emphasizes the necessity of focused professional
development initiatives to improve school heads' capacity for financial
management. The adoption of peer learning opportunities, ongoing training
seminars, and more robust support systems from the district education offices
are among the recommendations. The enhancement of educational achievements and
the maintenance of sustainable funding mechanisms can be achieved by Tanzanian
public secondary schools through improved resource allocation and improved
financial management abilities of their school heads.
Author(s) Details
Wilson Daniel John
Institute of Accountancy Arusha (IAA), Tanzania.
Please see the book here: https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/bmerp/v2/1531
