BUDGETING PRACTICES REQUIRED BY PRINCIPALS FOR EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS, IN ANAMBRA STATE.

Abstract

This study ascertained budgeting practices required by principals for effective administration of secondary schools in Anambra State. One research question guided the study and one null hypothesis was formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Description survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 528 respondents made up of 266 principals and 261 bursars of public secondary schools in Anambra State. Stratified random sample technique was used to draw out 260 respondents made up of 130 principals and 130 bursars. Self-constructed instrument titled 'Principals’ Budgeting Practices Questionnaire (PBPQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts. To ensure reliability of the instrument, data obtained were analyzed using Cronbach’s Alpha method. The reliability co-efficient value of 0.78 was obtained. The researcher administered 260 copies of the questionnaire on the respondents with the help of five research assistants. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation while t-test was used to test the null hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed among others that the budgeting practices required by principals for effective administration of secondary schools included; ensuring that stock taking was made before budget, making market survey before budget preparation, preparing budget singlehandedly and adhering to the official fiscal calendar in the budget planning. The study also revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean ratings of Principals and Bursars on the budgeting practices adopted by principals for effective administration of secondary schools in Anambra State. Based on the findings it was recommended among others that seminars, conferences and workshops on budgeting practices should be made compulsory for secondary school principals and school bursars by the Anambra State Ministry of Education to enhance their skills in budgeting for effective administration of the public secondary schools in Anambra State.