Main Article Content
Abstract
Financing education is the primary responsibility of the central, local and NGOs', private sector and community. According to economic Survey (2004), education is a major consumer of government budget.The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of financial management on learners’ performance in public primary schools in Narok County. Descriptive survey design was used. The study adopted purposive sampling technique since the head teachers, class teachers and zonal Pupils are believed to be having reliable information relevant for this study. Documents from the education offices were also analyzed. The study used two instruments namely Questionnaires and observation schedule. The researcher analyzed the data by use of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The study used quantitative techniques (measures of central tendency) and qualitative techniques which are basically descriptive. The investigator found out that there was poor management of funds in schools and as a result employees were not paid on time and teaching and learning materials were not also purchased. Financial reports were never presented to parents thishad made them either transfer their children to other schools. This had also caused conflicts between the schools administration and the parents. It was further revealed that inadequate funds were one of the major reasons behind poor results. This has forced the head teachers to levy extra charges on pupils whose parents are unable to pay. Consequently, pupils waste a lot of time at home waiting for parents to raise the money or they end up dropping out of school completely. The study recommends that free primary education should be made totally free for example in providing uniforms, meals, sanitary pads as the extra charges makes pupils drop from schools or be absent from schools of which affects performance. The NGOs and well-wishers should also offer to help the learners with the basic requirements. Financial management should be introduced as a course in teacher training programmes to help those teachers who become headteachers manage the school funds properly. Refresher courses should be offered to head teachers on financial management.