TITLE: FISCAL MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOL HEADS FOR EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS

IN DEPED- NORTHERN BUKIDNON.

  CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Fiscal management as defined by H. Bliss (2002) as the process of keeping an

organization running efficiently within its allotted budget. Though the word "fiscal" can
be used interchangeably with the word financial, in most cases, fiscal management
refers to money management within a government entity. Overall, its goal is to improve
the way the department operates by properly planning, recording, and performing
procedures that relate to the budget. This involves a variety of tools, including budget
spreadsheets, accounting software, and guides outlining procedures for department
management.

School heads play substantial roles in improving the quality of school education
in Bukidnon, as well as around the world. Besides their tedious responsibilities as
school heads, they also work as financial managers in their respective schools.
However, the majority of them struggle with how to manage school funds (Biro, 2017;
Shkurina, 2018). Thus, for quality education delivery, school heads need financial
management skills as a pre-requisite for successful secondary schools management
(Lindsay, Kofie & Mbepera, 2017). In a contemporary world, the educational sector has
experienced a drastic increase in school management responsibilities with the rise of
technology applications, abiding by new legislations and the pressure of the global
economy (Kiwango, Mselle & Mtahabwa, 2018; Shkurina, 2018). Such a demand, which
also fosters ISSN: 2411-5681 www.ijern.com 196 the development of the educational
sector, relies sorely, on the management of financial resources to fulfil school
obligations (Hanif, Buzdar & Mohsin, 2018). School heads need financial resources for
various needs, for example, salary payments, school buildings and facilities
maintenance, academic field practice costs, extra-curriculum activities and other school
programmes. Other payments include: adopting modern teaching and learning
technology, acquiring new school facilities and classroom supplies, such as books, and
laboratory apparatus. This implies that the success of any school plans depends highly
on the management of financial resources, which in turn, improve the overall school
performance (Bilkisu, 2018)

Educational institutions like any other organizations require proper management

of financial resources for survival .Often, the success or failure of any educational
institution in terms of quality education provision rests highly on the effective
management of financial resources leading to sustainable development. Consequently,
school heads must utilize the available financial resources to foster education delivery.
That is to say, maintain, financial management effectiveness, efficiency, equity,
responsiveness, relevance, reflexivity focusing on sustainability, which will eventually
ensure the quality teaching and the learning processing secondary schools (Laurie,
Nonoyama-Tarumi, Mckeown & Hopkins, 2016; Wango & Gatere, 2016; Mosha, 2018).
Financial management in the educational sector, specifically in Tanzania, like in other
parts of the African continent, remains vital for the promotion of education quality for
meeting the school vision and mission (Mosha, 2018). Quality education can be
achieved by providing the required school resources for improving the quality, equity
and excellence education delivery. Consequently, physical infrastructure, curriculum
and human resources availability all together need adequate funds to be available in
secondary schools, again for enhancing the quality of education based on the standard
requirements (Osaki, 2000; OECD, 2012; Bua & Adzongo, 2014; Komba, 2017; Mosha,
2018).

The school heads must not only equip themselves with the knowledge of
identifying challenges and opportunities, but they are expected to manage, capacitate,
and empower the school personnel to make sure that equality and equity will be made
possible. (DepEd Order No. 24 s.2020). This new normal setting in education though
very crucial tasks for school leaders will also provide opportunities for them to test their
management skills specifically in making decisions. Having this situation, the school
leaders need to consider alternative solutions to ensure that no child will be left behind
and that the education will continue in this time of health crisis.

Theoretical an Conceptual Framework

Theoretical Framework

This study was hinged on three theories. These are Piagets (1964) theory of cognitive
development, the Functionalism theory of learning and paths-goal leadership theory whose
modern development is attributed to Martin Evans and Robert House (1974) In this study the
three theories complement each other in investigating the factors influencing effectiveness of
financial management. Piagnets theory (1964) of cognitive development emphasized that
instructional media translates abstract concepts into concrete facts and thus enhancing
performance. These media have financial implication in acquiring them which requires
effectiveness of financial management. The Path goal leadership theory postulates that leaders
can facilitate task performance by showing subordinate how performance can be instrumental in
achieving desired rewards. Thus it gives a frame work within which the effectiveness of financial
management influences performance. Head teachers should ensure that the child is given the
benefit of a learning stimulating environment. This will enable the child to develop the correct
meaning of concepts as used in the classroom by the teacher. The Functional theory was used as
a base for this study to find out the extent to which head teachers finance instructional resources
in an attempt to help learners in visualizing, formation of imagery and conceptualization hence
improve financial management.

Conceptual Framework

In writing this proposal, the researcher conceptualized the independent, dependent intervening
and moderating variables as shown in Figure 1
 Independent Variables Dependent Variable

School Heads’ exposure

to management training

School Heads ’ Effectiveness of Fiscal Management

Professional Experience

School Heads’
Education Level

Statement of the Problem

Although the DepEd Northern Bukidnon has been inducting school Head teachers on
financial management skills, some school heads are still involved in financial
mismanagement through: misappropriation, misallocation and embezzlement of school
meager financial resources. In addition there has been unprecedented continuous poor
students’ academic performance in national examinations especially in schools with
poorly managed finances leading to outcry from stakeholders. ISSN: 2411-5681
www.ijern.com . The poor students’ academic performance in DepEd Northern
Bukidnon is associated to lack of facilities among other factors which are linked with
financial management in schools (Kuria, 2012). The situation is also exacerbated by the
fact that most school heads are highly educated graduate teachers but with limited
financial management skills (Baraka, 2010 Financial management practices have been
studied but factors influencing effectiveness have not been studied. There has been an
increase in dissatisfaction with the way school heads have been managing the school
finances resulting to students’ violence, parent’s demonstrations and interdiction of
some Head teachers in public secondary schools (Baraka, 2010). There is therefore
great need to investigate the factors influencing effectiveness of financial management
in public schools in DepEd Northern Bukidnon.