Abstract:
Service delivery in educational institutions is entirely dependent on financing. In Kenya, public secondary school education services are financially supported by both government subsidy and parents’ payment of minimal levies. The study sought to establish effects of non-payment of school levies by parents on service delivery in some public secondary schools in Ainabkoi Sub County Uasin Gishu County. The following were the objectives of the study: to analyse the effects of non-payment of school levies by parents on staff performance; to determine the effects of non-payments of school levies by parents on school programmes; to assess the effects of non-payment of school levies by parents on school management, and to establish effects of non-payment of school levies by parents on school projects. The study adopted the following theories: Human Capital theory and Epsteins conceptual model. The study used descriptive survey research design. It targeted 31 public secondary schools in Ainabkoi Sub-County of Uasin Gishu County. A total of 18 public secondary schools were sampled using stratified random sampling. All of the school’s principals (18) and bursars (18) were sampled purposively. The research was then conducted using open-ended interview schedule and document analysis methods. The instruments’ face validity; content validity, construct validity and criterion validity were ascertained. Moreover, the instruments’ reliability was examined using split-half technique. The data obtained from the interviews were analysed thematically. On the other hand, quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics (tables, frequencies, percentages and graphs) with the help of SPSS (Statistical package for the social Sciences version 20 for Windows) program. It was found that non-payment of school levies by parents negatively affected staff performance, educational programmes, school management and school projects. Document analysis also indicated that all the schools had arrears of unpaid levies by parents across the three years from 2012-2014. It was therefore concluded that non-payment of school levies was a critical threat to staff performance, school programmes, school management and school projects. In accordance with these research results, the schools, Ministry of Education and other sponsors of education in secondary schools should engage in proper planning and formulation of effective management policies and practices. Other conclusions made included: enforcement of regulations, parents being informed of the importance of paying school levies on time, and stakeholders being consulted on matters of school levies. The study recommended that a similar study be carried out in other public and private secondary schools in different localities to ascertain the applicability of the findings. Similarly, future researchers should consider modalities of levy payment, for better service delivery.
