The role of school boards in managing school funds the Case of Selected Public Secondary Schools in Mbozi District

This study sought to investigate the role of school boards in managing school funds in public secondary schools in Mbozi District. The objectives of the study were to examine the knowledge of school board members on their roles and functions in the management of schools, to examine the extent to which school boards perform financial management roles and lastly to identify the challenges school boards face in the management of school funds. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches informed by the descriptive case study design. A sample of 91 respondents from eight public secondary schools was obtained through purposive sampling, stratified and simple random sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, documentary reviews. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis whereas quantitative data were sorted, recorded, computed in tabular form with the help of SPSS program. Findings revealed that knowledge of school board members on their roles and functions in the management of schools was low limiting their participation in several managerial tasks in schools. Also school boards were well participating in approving plans and budgets, but they were minimally participating in raising, allocation and monitoring the use of school funds. Moreover, several challenges hindering participation of school board members in school financial management were identified including inadequate school funds, low knowledge among school board members, problems with tendering procedures, political interference, transport and communication problems and problems with collection of school fees and other parents’ contributions. The study recommends that school boards need to be trained and provided with guiding manuals for management of schools including school funds. Also there is need for amendment of policy guiding establishment of school boards so that among other things, qualifications for a person to be a school board member have to clearly be stated