2. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.7 Emerging Issues
This section summarises key issues that came out in the literature. Studies indicate that education is a major engine of economic and social development. The expansion of educational systems is of high priority of many governments; investments in human capital, health and education have important economic benefits for the whole society (OECD, 2008). Researchers and scholars in education agree that timely, adequate and relevant training for secondary school administrators is of essence in their management roles to minimise and avoid managerial shortcomings. Thus, strategic management for schools is of paramount importance. Therefore, costs of resource mobilisation must be born in mind and kept minimal to solve the intention of the educational needs.
Literature shows that there is a positive relationship between educational resources utilisation and internal efficiency of a school. Policies formulated on educational resources should be implemented in order to achieve the highest level of efficiency. Modern methods of resource management promote knowledge sharing, transparency, monitoring and evaluation. This also facilitates the development of partnerships with more engagement of civil society and private sector (Jenks, 2012). Methods of record keeping are of paramount importance to schools in
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order to improve the quality of teaching and learning and successful operation (Asiabaka, 2008; Fasasi, 2009; Ajileye, 2011; Motsamai et al., 2011). Mengistu (2014) also stresses that resource management and utilisation are an integral part of the overall management of the school. Education in a school is determined by provision of resources, their maximum utilisation and management. Advances in science and technology necessitate that the school manager should adopt modern methods of facilities management in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The quality of school facilities, teaching and learning materials, teaching personnel and the education process will eventually determine the instructional programmers and performance of the school.
Most literature shows that it is important for educational planners and administrators to ensure that there is enough financial support (mobilisation of resources) and fair supply and distribution of all educational resources to schools in order to achieve quality education (Karam et al., 2013; Gebreyes, 2013; & Oluremi, 2014). It is also important to note that financial resource management is core in aiding the management of other educational resources because without finance, there is no supply of resources to schools. Olatoun (2012) fully concurs that money is important in the respect of resources because with it, all other vital elements in the school can be obtained, for example, buildings, purchase of equipment, payment of teachers‟
salaries and allowances, and operating expenses. Techniques of resources generation and management are of concern in SBM, (Ajileye & Ikegwuru, 2011; Motsamai et al., 2011; &
Olatoun, 2012). Proper record keeping for all educational resources is of great essence, (Fasasi, 2009); Owoeye & Yara, 2011; & Bakwai, 2013). This aids budgeting in schools, eliminate the challenges of improper recordings and inform schools about careful management of all educational resources.
Downes (2007) suggests that a very definite change in strategy and change in perception is needed by leaders of non-profit organisations (schools) if they are going to consider seriously the variety of possible income generating possibilities. Entrepreneurial approaches in resource mobilisation and other approaches are helpful in organisations to lower costs of education.
Schools can apply the realm of resource mobilisation in a deliberate, planned and proactive approach to succeed. A complete overhaul of attitudes, preconceptions and a new look at the organizations vision, mission and strategy are required. A different kind of staff needs to be hired if the organization is serious about developing income generating activities (Volansky &
Friedman, 2003). Although the government may provide most of the resources to schools,
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these can never be enough to meet the demand. Schools that generate additional resources are therefore, most likely, to achieve their goals much better than those that simply rely on government (Agabi, 2010; Ajileye & Ikegwuru, 2011). Thus, literature gives some strategies that may be put in place to inform the MoET on the best possible practices that may be employed in procuring, maintaining, generating and managing scarce educational resources assigned to schools (Shrifian, 2011).
Researchers agree that resources are vital tasks that enrich teaching and learning (Ehiametator, 2003; Olangunju & Abiona, 2008; Onuoha-Chidiebere, 2011; Olatoun, 2012; Alaka &
Obadara, 2013). Cost effectiveness in resource procurement and management is therefore vital in SBM. It is necessary to find ways for the secondary school system to be run cost-effectively.
Maintenance culture must be deeply rooted in schools. Special attention must be focused on prudent management of educational resources in order to sustain qualitative education (Afolabi et al., 2008; Agabi, 2010; & MASH organisations, 2012). Theories in resource generation and management reveal that a school should be operated in a way that encourages decisions that involve all stakeholders. This can bring about better methods of acquiring resources in order to accomplish goals and have sustainability (Zhamin et al., 2014).
Mestry and Bodalina (2015) highlight that the management of physical and material resources include; setting up appropriate structures and processes; identifying educational resources needs, establishing sources of funding and conceiving well-formulated budgets; identifying reputable suppliers and service providers; and procuring, utilising, maintaining and controlling the assets and educational resources within given boundaries and polices. Therefore, for effective, efficient and economical use of the educational resources, both formal and informal structures, systems, processes and polices should be operational. It is also important to re- valuate existing structures and processes so that the objectives of the school are achieved at the lowest possible cost. Structures of resource management should incorporate ways of pursuing optimum-sustainable performance of physical resources to adopt a whole-life approach in acquisition/operation, performance, maintenance, control and disposal of the resources (Hinum, 1999; Mengistu 2014; Mestry & Bodalina, 2015). Literature in Swaziland shows little documented information on studying resource generation and management. Some policies are not explicit on strategies of recruiting heads of schools and there are no guiding rules on maintenance, generation and management of educational resources. For example, there is lack of a text book policy to guide on the life span of a book.
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Related studies in the field of resource mobilisation and management used qualitative approaches in the form of interviews, document analysis and observations (Motsamai et al., 2011; Agabi 2010). Others used the quantitative approach with survey questionnaires and descriptive statistics (Olatoun, 2012; Olagunju & Abiona, 2008; Ajileye 2011) separately. This current study adopted a mixed methods research approach. This is explained in greater detail in chapter four.
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