Effect of Head of Public Secondary School Financial Management Practice on Handling Inter-conflicts among Stakeholders in Mkuranga District, Pwani Region

Abstract

schools in Mkuranga District, Tanzania, focusing on transparency, accountability, and stakeholder participation. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected from teachers, students, and education officers through questionnaires, interviews, and document reviews. The findings revealed that most schools rely heavily on development funds and capitation grants, with minimal support from donations. Financial decision-making was found to be highly centralized, as teachers and students reported limited involvement in budgeting and financial planning processes. Transparency in financial communication was weak, with most schools relying on verbal updates during staff meetings rather than written reports. Despite this, many teachers still perceived their school heads as transparent, largely due to trust and visible outcomes rather than formal reporting systems. Interviews with school heads showed variations in practice, with some adopting structured, participatory systems using financial committees and digital monitoring tools such as FFARS, while others lacked consistency and inclusivity. The study concludes that financial management in Mkuranga’s public secondary schools is characterized by procedural compliance but weak inclusivity and inconsistent transparency. It recommends institutionalizing participatory budgeting, strengthening communication mechanisms, diversifying income sources, and enhancing leadership capacity to foster transparent, accountable, and sustainable financial management systems.