Role of school management committees in the administration of universal primary education schools in Uganda: A case study of selected schools in Wakiso District

Abstract

The study was about the role of school management committees in the administration of universal primary education schools in Wakiso District. The following study objectives guided the study; i) to examine how the school management committees ensure the availability of development plans universal primary schools in Wakiso District, ii) to assess how school management committees link the community to the education programmes of universal primary schools in Wakiso District and iii) to examine how the school management committees ensure that funds received are effectively managed and publicly reported in universal primary schools in Wakiso District. The research design used was both descriptive and an exploratory study. A sample size of 124 respondents was used. The questionnaire and interview guide were the main instruments of data collection. The findings revealed that 17.5% of the respondents strongly agreed, 49.2% agreed, and 33.0% strongly disagreed. For 67.0% who agreed noted that the School management committees have the mandate to provide information to school’s management on procurement and financial management in order to ensure that there is acquisition of supplies from authentic sources, get the best quantity and quality in order to ensure value for money. The findings show that 29.1% of the respondents strongly agreed, 13.6% agreed, 6.8% were not sure, 12.6% disagreed and 37.9% strongly disagreed. The study discovered that 18.4% of the respondents strongly agreed, 24.3% agreed, 3.9% were not sure, 10.7% disagreed and 42.7% strongly disagreed; hence with 53.4% in disagreement, it means that the School management committees do not have the clear powers to task the school administration to account for the funds earned and used. The study discovered that 31.1% of the respondents strongly agreed, 24.3% agreed, 18.4% were not sure, 14.6% disagreed and 11.7% strongly disagreed. There is a significant relationship between school management committees and the administration of universal primary education schools in Wakiso District as evidenced by Pearson correlations at .201 (Sig.2 tailed, .042), it shows that the school management committees are involved in drawing up development plans for the school. From the analysis of variance (Anova), df. At 9, F at 3.874 and Sig. 000, it is indicates that the, the school management committees take part in school development planning with quite average input, thus making the school development plans available in the schools. The study recommends that the central government and local government must exert the school management committees as the primary architects of programmes which must be implemented in the schools like infrastructure development to ensure wider mandate for school development and administrative coherence in the schools.