Influence of School-Based Financial Management on Quality of Education in Public Primary Schools in Ogoja Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the influence of school-based financial management on the quality of education in public primary schools in the Ogoja Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria, with particular focus on budget planning and preparation and financial accountability. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 528 headmasters of public primary schools across the five Local Government Areas within the education zone. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample of 300 respondents was selected through proportionate stratified random sampling. Data for the study were collected using a researcher-developed instrument, the School-Based Financial Management and Quality Education Questionnaire (SBFMQEQ), which was validated by experts and demonstrated acceptable reliability, as indicated by Cronbach's alpha. Of the 300 questionnaires distributed, 228 were returned and analyzed, yielding a 76.0% response rate. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, and simple linear regression was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that budget planning and preparation significantly predicted quality of education (R = .609, R2 = .371, F(1, 226) = 131.932, p < .001), explaining 37.1% of the variance in quality of education. Financial accountability also significantly and positively predicted quality education (R = .391, R2 = .153, F(1, 226) = 40.700, p < .001), accounting for 15.3% of the variance. The study concluded that effective budget planning and financial accountability are important financial management practices associated with quality education in public primary schools. It was recommended, among others, that the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) should strengthen financial monitoring mechanisms, organize regular capacity-building programmes for headmasters on budget planning and financial accountability, and promote transparent management of school funds to support quality of educational services.