5. CHAPTER FIVE: DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
5.4 Theme Two: Availability, Adequacy and Management of Resources
5.4.1 HTs Perceptions on Resource Availability
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NCVO (2015) suggests that non-profit making organisations can consider fundraising that is effective, economic, legal and ethical for example, the use of such sources as gifts and donations, grants, loan financing and equity capital, contracts and trading for the organisations to overcome financial challenges. In this case, it seemed that in the Swaziland system of education vigorous fundraising among the schools was not popular. The question is how sustainable is the way things were done in the schools? From the background to the study, (Section 1.2) the WB Group (2013) argues that most countries in the developing world face challenges of sourcing resources. This is consistent with the view of Sontang-Padilla, Staplefoote and Morganti (2012) who suggest that non-profit organisations like schools depend on diverse sets of funding sources and streams of funding to sustain their operations. This suggests that such organisations may consider innovative fundraising techniques like fostering relationships with investors for support. The need for additional funds in schools is discussed in the subsequent theme (Sections 5.4.1 and 5.4.2) on the availability and adequacy of educational resources.
120 Table 5.4: Availability of Resources as Indicated by HTs
Resources Mega School Mango School Mass School Miko School Masiko School Malta School
(f) (f) (f) (f) (f) (f)
Library(s) - - √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1
Science laboratory (s) √ 4 √ 2 √ 2 √ 4 √ 6 √ 6
Home Economics Laboratory(s) √ 3 √ 1 √ 1 √ 2 √ 3 √ 2
Agriculture laboratory(s) √ 2 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 2 X N/A
Computer laboratory(s) √ 2 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 3
Computers √ 124 √ 60 √ 23 √ 40 √ 75 - -
School gardens √ 2 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 3 X N/A
Classrooms √ 37 √ 15 √ 17 √ 14 √ 32 √ 17
Extra rooms for teaching √ 2 √ 1 √ 0 √ 1 X N/A √ 4
Technical workshop(s) √ 3 √ 1 √ 1 X N/A √ 3 √ 1
Strong rooms √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1
School halls √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 2
Sport field(s) √ 1 X N/A √ 1 √ 1 √ 2 √ 1
Equipment – Photocopiers √ 5 √ 3 √ 2 √ 1 √ 3 √ 4
Equipment – printers √ 10 √ 4 √ 7 √ 1 √ 17 √ 10
Equipment – telephones √ 2 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 23 √ 2
Storerooms in kitchen √ 2 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 2 √ 3
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Resources Mega School Mango School Mass School Miko School Masiko School Malta School
(f) (f) (f) (f) (f) (f)
Store rooms in workshops √ 8 √ 3 √ 2 X N/A √ 2 √ 2
Store rooms in laboratories √ 2 √ 2 √ 2 X N/A - - √ 1
Book store room √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 2
Principal office √ 1 X N/A √ 1 √ 1 √ 1 √ 1
Deputy principal office √ 2 X N/A √ 1 √ 1 √ 2 √ 2
Subjects offered X N/A √ 16 √ 32 √ 18 √ - √ 21
Staffrooms - - √ 2 √ 1 √ 2 √ 11 √ 4
Toilet – pit X N/A X N/A X N/A X N/A √ 1 X N/A
Toilet – water √ 30 √ 8 √ 10 √ 22 √ 3 √ 23
Tables √ 120 √ 39 √ 52 - - - - √ 22
Desks √ 2300 √ 710 √ 630 √ 400 √ 1600 √ 980
Chairs √ 2500 √ 710 √ 1300 √ 400 √ 1670 √ 1200
Teachers‟ chairs - - √ 39 - - - -
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According to Table 5.4, all the schools had one library each except for Mega school that did not indicate whether they had a library or not. The five schools that offered Agriculture as a subject had the agriculture laboratories and school gardens. All schools indicated that they had science, home economics and computer laboratories, classrooms, school halls, storerooms in kitchens, water toilets, learners‟ desks and chairs, printers, telephone and photocopying resources for operation.
However, Masiko and Malta schools did not have storerooms in workshops. Mega and Malta schools did not seem to have adequate storerooms in laboratories compared with their enrolments. All the schools seemed in need of additional classrooms for teaching and learning except Malta school with four. All other five schools except Mango did not respond to the availability of teachers‟ chairs and tables. Malta school did not respond to the availability of computers. This may be because the schools were lacking in these facilities.
Mango school indicated that they did not have the HT‟s and deputy HT‟s offices. Mega school did not respond whether they had staffrooms or not. Mass school indicated that they had only one staffroom and this marked a deficiency as compared to the staff complement.
Although, observation was not part of my data generation instruments, but personally I saw that teachers were crowded in the staffroom of the school. Overall, the data suggests that although the schools were on average, reasonably endowed with resources, these were seemingly inadequate judging from enrolments and staff complements.
5.4.2 HTs Perceptions on Adequacy of Resources
Table 5.5: HTs’ views on the Supply of Teaching and Learning Resources
Resources N Inadequate Adequate Very Adequate
(f) (f) (f)
Library(s) 6 - 2 4
Science laboratory(s) 6 - 4 2
Home Economics laboratory(s) 5 2 3 -
Agriculture laboratory(s) 4 1 - 3
Computer laboratory(s) 5 1 - 4
Computers 5 - 2 3
Classrooms 5 1 2 2
Technical workshops 4 - 3 1
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School halls 5 - 3 2
Sport field 4 1 - 3
Photocopiers 5 - 2 3
Storeroom 5 1 1 3
Strong room 5 - 2 3
Staffroom 5 1 1 3
Book room 4 1 - 3
Principal office 5 - 3 2
Deputy principal office 5 - 3 2
Kitchen 5 - 2 3
Toilets 5 1 3 1
Telecommunication facilities 5 1 3 1
Furniture 4 - 4 -
All six participating HTs reported that libraries and science laboratories were adequately supplied in the schools. Five HTs except Mango‟s showed that computers, school halls, principals‟ and deputy principals‟ offices, furniture and photocopiers were also adequately supplied in their schools.
According to two participant HTs (Mango and Malta) home economics laboratories were inadequate in their schools. Miko and Masiko schools did not have communication facilities such as telephones. Mango HT indicated an inadequate supply of agriculture laboratory, sports field, store room, staff room and book room. Malta school HT indicated the lack of classrooms and toilets in their school. Mass school indicated that they lacked sports field and Miko HT indicated a lack of workshops in the school. Only Mega school was consistently high in resource provision.
When interviewing HTs regarding availability and adequacy of resources, this is what came out: one HT highlighted that in general, the basic resources needed for a school to run the day-to-day activities were available.
We are happy about the resources we have in my school. (Mega HT). This was in line with the HT‟s responses in table 5.5.
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On the other hand, some of the HTs raised different perspectives regarding the resources supply or adequacy. Some HTs felt that most of the school facilities were old and required major repairs.
This is in relation to the fact that the available resources are too old and need repairs, replacement and maintenance. For example old computers, refrigerators and old furniture lying in storerooms. (Malta HT).
Another HT echoed this point and said:
Government takes a long time before attending to the resources, some are even outdated. (Masiko HT).
Regarding the adequacy of resources in the schools, some HTs felt that the resources were not enough for their operation.
For purposes of basic resources, that is okay, but not really in the standard we are expecting resources to be. We need more of the workshops for learners to work in.
(Miko HT).
One participant HT also indicated:
Some resources are still lacking in my school for example, the measure for intensity of the sun, how hot the sun is, how quickly water evaporates, are resources needed for improvement purposes. (Mega HT).
Another participant added to this view:
A lot more of the resources are not available in my school, for example, as technology advances, there is need to get more of the e-learning resources to deliver up to the expected standards. There is room to improve the standard of resources provided because resources are used to provide adequate, up-to-date educational and social services noted another participant. (Mass HT).
One dynamic regarding the availability and adequacy was that resources were not enough in the schools. Another dynamic was that some resources such photocopiers, printers and computers were outdated. Another was that some resources such as furniture and structures needed major repairs.
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As I discussed in the background to the study (Section 1.2) resource provision in schools is one of the key aims of the government (EDSEC policy, 2011). As reflected in the findings, the government provides structures and supplies basic resources. According to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (2010) EMIS Swaziland supports in the planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the education system. If the government was committed to all this, then the question would be why action was seemingly not taken to replenish or repair resources accordingly in the schools I studied. A possible dynamic here relates to lack of fluent communication between the Ministry and schools.
5.4.3 HTs’ Perspectives on Maintenance of Resources