Leveraging technological proficiency for effective financial management among principals in Kenya: evidence from Makueni County public secondary schools

Abstract

The ever-raising demand for financially efficient schools by educational stakeholders and the general public the world all over not be overemphasized. Financial management in public schools is one of the key functions of the school principal and revolves around the sourcing and utilization of all school funds in order to meet the school goals. This study established the relationship between principals' level of training and financial management of public secondary schools in Makueni County, Kenya. This article is an extraction study that was carried out in Makueni County and anchored on the Agency Theory as postulated by Jensen and Mackleng. The study used a descriptive survey and a target population of 391 public secondary principals, 391 bursars, 391 parents and school auditors. Data was collected using questionnaires for both principals and bursars, observation checklists for PA chairpersons and interviews guides for sub-county school auditors. The collected data was analyzed using ATLAS-ti software. The quantitative data analyzed was presented using frequencies, percentages, and tables to give meaning while qualitative data was interpreted in the form of themes and narratives. The study established that there is a positive relationship of r = (84) =0.622, p<0.05 between principals' technology proficiency and financial management. The findings therefore implied that, although most of the principals in Makueni (52.9 %) had attended ICT proficiency training, there exists a good number of 47.1% who did not possess any form of ICT skills for use in financial management of school finances. This points to the conclusion that the proportion of principals that did not train on ICT skills use in performing financial management were not able to confidently undertake such financial management tasks in public secondary schools in Makueni County of Kenya. Based on these findings, the study therefore concluded that the TSC should make it mandatory for all principals to undergo technological proficiency training prior to their being promoted to become principals.