CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Growth
and development of any organization can be achieved through the proper
management of its finances. Finance is the life-blood of any institution. When
finance is accountably used, success is achieved but when it is
misappropriated, the reverse becomes the case. The top priority of an
organization is the actualization of its goals and objectives and that is why
it is pertinent for organizations to harness their human, material and
financial resources to achieve these set goals (Heuneman 1983).
Management
of school finance involves how to source for fund, increase the fund, invest it
and account for the fund used in fixing up programmes and projects of a school.
The main purpose of finance management in an organization is sourcing for fund
and ensuring that the sourced fund is put into efficient and effective use.
This is quite important due to the availability of scarce resources in other
for optimal usage of those resources
(Ogbonnaya, 2000). A study that was carried out in Uganda showed that just a
small percentage of the fund allocated to the education sector was properly
utilized, in fact, it was about 13% that was allocated to the education sector
(Hallak and Poisson, 2001). The implication of mismanagement of fund is that it
will increase the cost of some fees in the school; efficiency will not be
achieved coupled with conflicts in decision making. Of which secondary schools
in Lagos state suffer from these. Mismanagement of education funds affects the
quality and availability of education (Poisson, 2001).
However,
a school’s finance that has been misappropriated leaves the school with an
unequipped library, science lab, dilapidated structures, and poorly remunerated
teachers; which adversely leaves the students with nothing but a poor performance
in their academics now and after. A research carried out by UNESCO proves that
there is a very strong relationship between the quality of education and the
proper utilization of the funds on the performance of a student (UNESCO, 2005).
Managing
of funds in Lagos state secondary schools will help provide facilities that
will aid teaching and learning in schools, consequently the academic
performance of students. This is because with learning facilities on ground the
skills of the students will be discovered and polished to achieve success and
even scientific ideas. When these facilities are provided, it will be beyond
what the teacher said in class (theory) to what they can see and practice with
(Ajayi and Akinwumiju,
1990). The quality and availability of teaching/learning materials depend on
the amount of money spent on acquiring them. It has been discovered from
different authors that the quality of education largely depends on the
management of school finance. The added that the proper management of these
resources lead to proper harnessing of physical, material and human resources
required to achieve quality education (Adeogun ,2001; Oni,1995; Aghenta, 1999; Sodimu,1998).
The
possible factors that could lead to the mismanagement of funds are delay in the
release of funds, uneven distribution of limited resources, poor orientation of
the school administrators on the management of funds, unmerited appointment of
school administrators by politicians, poor record of funds by the school
bursary department and non-payment of teachers’ salaries.
school
finance is meant for the day to day running of the school, therefore, it is
pertinent for the school heads to map out the budget of the school early enough
in order to know the amount left in the school treasury and how much is needed
to carry out programmes/projects of the school.
Consequently,
it has been observed that some head teachers or principals in Lagos state
secondary schools mismanage funds not because of poor planning and budgeting,
but through embezzlement. The necessary supervisory bodies in Lagos state have
not paid attention to this problem and it is affecting the growth of education
in the state.
All
the different stages of education in Nigeria has its objectives it is meant to
achieve, like the secondary schools objectives are to equip Nigerian youths to
contribute meaningfully to the development of the country and preparedness for
higher education (FRN,
2004). The truth still remains that funds are needed to actualize these
objectives.
It is therefore clear that the outcomes from students in Lagos
state secondary schools is quite discouraging due to mismanagement of school
finance; and that is why this study is conducted to support the proper managing
of school finance for better learning outcomes in Lagos state secondary
schools.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Mismanagement
of funds has always been a threat to different organizations in Nigeria,
including the educational system.
The
learning environment of most secondary schools in Lagos state is an obvious proof
of mismanagement of funds. Grasses grown too tall as trees with no one to trim
them, no drainages, dirty and wrong method of refuse disposal.
Still
in line with this is poor remuneration of teachers. Due to poor managing of
funds in secondary schools in Lagos state, teachers are seen discharging their
duties with levity. Most of them come late to school, some do not go for their
classes, and some have turned the learning ground to a fun fair arena where
they chat, gossip and even do their private businesses; thus, affecting the
academic performance of the students of Lagos state secondary schools.
In
addition, due to mismanagement of funds, educational learning and teaching
facilities are not provided to aid teaching. Infrastructure like conducive
classroom, desks/chairs, computers, equipped libraries, equipped laboratories
are in demeaning states; which affects the performance of students in internal
and external examinations.
1.3 OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
The
major objective of this study is to investigate managing school finance for
better learning outcomes in Lagos state secondary schools.
Other specific objectives
include:
a)
To examine the correlation between
managing school finance and learning outcomes.
b) To
investigate the extent of Lagos state secondary schools’ finance management.
c)
To identify proper ways of managing
school finance in Lagos state secondary schools.
d) To
examine other means secondary schools in Lagos state can generate revenue aside
from the government.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The following research questions are
generated to guide this study:
a)
Is there a correlation between
managing school finance and learning outcomes?
b) What
is the extent of Lagos state secondary schools’ finance management?
c)
What are the proper ways of managing
school finance in Lagos state secondary schools?
d) What
are the other means secondary schools in Lagos state can generate revenue aside
from the government?
1.5 RESEARCH
HYPOTHESIS
H0: There
is no correlation between managing school finance and learning outcomes.
H1: There
is a correlation between managing school finance and learning outcomes.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This
study is meant to inform, educate, and enlighten general public, school
management and the government on managing school finance for better learning
outcomes.
It
is meant to inform school administrators that it is very pertinent to properly
utilize finance allocated to secondary schools to ensure effectiveness and
efficiency in the education sector.
To
the government it is meant to remind them that they should request for an
account on how every spent on education is utilized by school administrators,
in other not to give room for corruption in the education sector.
This
study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more
on this topic and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their
work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other
work or study.
1.7 SCOPE
OF THE STUDY/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This
study is restricted to managing school finance for better learning outcomes, a
case study of Lagos state secondary schools.
Limitations of study
1.
Financial
constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency
of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or
information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and
interview).
2.
Time
constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in
this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the
time devoted for the research work.
1.9 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
MANAGING:
This refers to having executive control or authority; being economical.
SCHOOL FINANCE:
This is the money provided by a government or raised
by parents
and teachers
to finance
the running
of a school.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Are statements that describe significant and essential learning that learners have achieved, and can reliably demonstrate at the end of
a course or program. In other words, learning
outcomes identify what the learner will know and be able to do by the
end of a course or program.
REFERENCES
Ogbonnaya,
N. I. (2000). Foundation
of education finance. Onitsha:
CAP Publishers.
Hueneman, R. (1983) A longitudinal
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population. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 18, 325.
Hallak, J.
& Poisson, M. (2002). Ethics and Corruption in Education: Results from the
experts workshop held at IIEP:paris 28th-29th November 2001.
UNESCO,
(2005). How many children in Africa search secondary education. Paris: UNESCO.
Ajayi, A.O
&Akinwumiju, J.A (Eds) (1990): Personnel Performance and Capacity Building.
Ibadan, Nigeria.
Adeogun,
A.A. (2001). The principal and the financial management of public secondary schools
in Osun State.
Journal of
Educational systems and development.5(1,),.1-10.
Aghenta, J.
A. (1999). Principles and practice of educational planning: Focus on the
Developing Countries. Benin City: NSCP.
Oni, J.
(1995). Educational resources: An introduction. Abeokuta: Gbemi Sodipo Press
Limited.
Sodimu,
G.O. (1998). “Resource availability, utilization and productivity in public and
private secondary schools in Lagos State”. Unpublished PH.D Thesis, University
of Lagos.
Federal Government of Nigeria 2004.
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