Education board participation in budget preparation and school performance: Evidence from Zambian secondary schools

Abstract

Decentralisation in education governance through education boards was implemented in Zambia to enhance accountability and local responsiveness. However, empirical evidence on the relationship between board involvement in budget preparation and school performance remains limited. This study investigated the relationship between Education Board involvement in budget preparation and secondary school performance in Zambia's Copperbelt Province. Joyce Epstein's School-Family-Community Partnership Model guided the study. The study employed a concurrent embedded mixed-methods design within a pragmatic worldview. The study was conducted in ten purposively selected secondary schools across five districts of Zambia's Copperbelt Province. The target population included 700 respondents (teachers, department heads, deputy head teachers, accounts assistants, head teachers, PTC chairpersons, and learner representatives). The quantitative sample comprised 187 respondents selected through stratified random sampling. The qualitative sample comprised 14 participants (head teachers, PTC chairpersons, and learner representatives) selected through expert and homogeneous purposive sampling. Quantitative data was collected using a structured questionnaire with Likert-scale items measuring board involvement in budget preparation (8 items, α = .792) and school performance (8 items, α = .815). Qualitative data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions organised around four thematic areas. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS Version 26, employing descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations), Pearson correlation, and multiple regression. Qualitative data were analysed using deductive thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework, assisted by NVivo 12 software. Descriptive results indicated a perceived low level of education board involvement in budgeting (grand mean = 2.59, SD = 0.06). Pearson correlation revealed a significant positive relationship between board involvement and school performance, r (185) = .335, p < .001. Multiple regression analysis showed that budget preparation significantly predicted school performance, B = 0.234, SE = 0.076, β = .273, t (183) = 3.092, p = .002, explaining 12.9% of the variance (R² = .129). Qualitative findings revealed three themes: "Gatekeeping and Performative Engagement", "Resource Reallocation and Accountability", and "Limits of Board Authority". The study concludes that increasing board involvement in financial governance is vital for improving school performance. Recommendations include involving boards early in the budgeting process, standardising quarterly financial oversight mechanisms, mandating minimum financial disclosure standards, and enhancing financial literacy among board members through competency-based training.