Exploring the Role of School Leadership in Managing Financial Resources in Zambian Secondary Schools

This study drew the attention of secondary school leadership on financial management and how it is viewed, perceived, handled and executed. It was done by taking into account the sources of funding and attendant areas of expenditure by school management in order to meet educational outcomes. Using different resources from primary to secondary sources on financial management carried out through research by different scholars the paper delved into both the budgetary and auditing processes which are the hallmark of financial management and accountability. Apart from the budgetary and auditing processes, the paper reviewed the state of secondary school in financial management by considering how officers in the chain of command in accounts, procurement, stores and disposal management financial resources and how adequately trained they were. Equally, the paper explored how stakeholder engagement in financial management was being done in the secondary school system to enhance both accountability and resource mobilization. This was done by analysing management practices and tools in relation to the utilization of material and financial resources. The study established how School managers leveraged digital tools by applying e-government procurement and the integrated financial management information system to cut down on handling of cash. Besides, it explored how they mobilized resources using stakeholders to complement grants from the government. The study concluded that there was still greater need for school leaders to prioritize accountability in financial management as well as strengthen partnerships with stakeholders so as to create more resources to equitably help run the school system. Besides, the paper accounted for the overall responsibility of government on the grants given to school to shift from pupil-enrolment determinants to a more socio-economic way so as the cater for varying needs of schools as well as enhance both internal and external auditing as it trains more officers to build capacity to handle financial resources. It also concluded that parents and the community, in simpler terms, stakeholders, should engage actively with the school to build confidential and accountability in the financial management process.