The head teacher’s financial management skills and academic performance of public secondary schools in Uganda a case of Kassanda town council.

Abstract

This study intended to examine the head teachers’ financial management skills and academic performance in public secondary schools in Uganda, a case of Kassanda Town Council. The specific objectives were: to establish the budgeting procedures of the selected schools under Universal Secondary Education in Kassanda Town Council, to determine the connection between Head teachers and accounting officers' role in Kassanda Town Council secondary school, and to assess compliance of head teachers to approved school budgets. The study employed a descriptive survey design and using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study used sample size of 70 respondents, both structured questionnaire and interview guide were used to collect data on the study. Stratified random sampling techniques was used to select the sample, data was analyzed using SPSS. Pearson correlation coefficient showed positive relationship between head teachers’ financial management skills on public schools’ performance. The study findings show that budgeting procedures and participatory process is to a large extent being practiced, accountabilities are made, and auditing is done to a small extent with a positive correlation value of 0.541. also, there was a positive relationship between head teachers’ analytical skills and role of accounting officers with a relative positive correlation of 0.443 while compliance oh head teachers to approved budgets revealed a lower positive correlation value of 0.375. However, the findings from the study indicated that there was override of power by head teachers, lack of financial management knowledge was evident on the side of head teacher. The result of this lack of financial management as well as lack of compliance to the Financial Management Act 2015. The study recommended that the school management should have participatory budgeting process, training of head teachers in financial skills, the board of directors and the finance committee should be fully involved on an oversight role of financial management in the school, and government should release funds in time for better planning.