Relationship between Principals’ Competencies in Procurement and Performance of Financial Management Roles in Public Secondary Schools in Kajiado County, Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between principals’ procurement competencies and effective performance of financial management roles in public secondary schools in Kajiado County, Kenya. Various education stakeholders had complained about principal’s ineffective performance of procurement roles in public secondary schools in Kajiado County, Kenya as shown through the literature reviewed. Frederick Taylor’s Scientific Management theory guided the study. The study adopted correlational research design. Data collection from principals and bursars was through administration of questionnaires and an interview schedule for school auditors. The target and accessible population was all 160 public secondary school principals, their bursars and 3 school auditors. The study used multi-stage sampling technique to sample 115 public secondary school principals and bursars and all the 3 school auditors. Stratified simple random sampling was used to get proportionate sample from each data stratum. The findings indicated that there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between procurement competencies and principals’ performance of financial management roles (r=0.876**; p<0.01). The study concluded that some principals lacked the necessary procurement competencies to regularly carry out procurement risk management; ensure procurement rules are followed; carry out procurement contract management; enhance supply sustainability and continue use and re-use of vendors; improve supplier relationships; lead in identifying the best products in the market and in deploying technology in performance of procurement role. The study also concluded that some principals were not effective in timely preparation of procurement plans; in following laid down procurement rules and in regularly carrying out procurement risk management; in regularly managing procurement contracts; ensuring supply sustainability and in identifying the best products in the market. The study recommended training, mentoring and coaching of principals to improve their performance on the various identified procurement competency and skills gaps.