SCHOOL FINANCING AND EDUCATION OUTCOMES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN SELECTED CONVENTIONAL AND COMMUNITY DAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN CENTRAL EAST EDUCATION DIVISION

Abstract

This study investigated public school financing and educational outcome in selected Conventional Secondary Schools and Community Day Secondary Schools in Central East Education Division. It sought to establish whether there is a link between levels of funding and attainment of education outcomes as students in CDSSs have poorer pass rates than in CSSs. The research was conducted in two districts involving 12 schools and selection of participants was based on probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling procedures. It used mixed methods approach and in particular concurrent triangulation design as both qualitative and quantitative components of the study were handled in the same phase. Data was generated through questionnaires and documentary analysis while interviews generated data for qualitative component of the study. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS and Excel while qualitative data, coding was done where themes were obtained from interviews. The study's findings revealed that conventional secondary schools have higher pass rates than community day secondary schools with the difference being statistically significant at 0.001, p< 0.05); inequitable distribution of financial resources to CSSs and CDSSs with a Gini Coefficient value of 0.39; and a strong, positive correlation between pass rates and per pupil spending (r = 0.942) using multiple regression. Interviews yielded similar results from respondents involved in the study. In view of the above study findings, equitable distribution of financial resources as well as reviewing of school financing policy to benefit critically under-resourced CDSSs.