INVESTIGATING PERCEPTIONS OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IN NKHATA-BAY DISTRICT

Abstract

The study investigated stakeholders‟ perceptions of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Primary School Improvement Program (PSIP) in Nkhata-Bay District, Malawi. PSIP was rolled out as in intervention to influence community participation at school level, based on the foundation of transparency and accountability. Currently little is known whether the program has improved participation having promoted transparency and accountability. The study used mixed method design and data was generated through Community Score Card (CSC) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The study results demonstrated that community members from SMC, PTA and Mother Groups play an important role in strengthening transparency and accountability at school level. Transparency performance scored highly in terms of capacity building issues, community participation, display of SIP priorities, communication of roles and responsibilities to the stakeholders. However, it was learnt through FGD that accountability issues were hampered by the lack of termly meetings, display of SIP records and reports, and other reporting mechanisms which were not done according to PSIP manual to increase access to information. The implications therefore from the study are that despite PSIP having improved community participation of all stakeholders at school level through the transparent means of the school management, there is need for more effort by the policy makers to improve accounting mechanisms which are slightly hampered by lack of termly meetings and display of reports.