Empowerment of principals of the post-primary schools in the Northern Lesotho districts : a financial management perspective

Abstract

The pivotal role of empowering principals in school finance to acquire skills to make more effective use of the scarce financial resources cannot be doubted in the current education system. This study reflected on the training needs of the Leribe and Butha- Buthe PPS principals in managing school finances, the results of which were utilised to formulate guidelines for a training framework. It was evident from the results of the investigation that principals sometimes experienced difficulties when executing activities such as strategic planning and budgeting, as well as controlling and monitoring finances – all very crucial areas of financial management. Therefore, managers urgently need training to acquire the skills and knowledge to overcome difficulties which could hamper the achievement of goals. The training would probably assist managers to ensure that through empowering other stakeholders, the school finances will be managed in a manner that will respond to the needs of the learners. It is therefore anticipated that better financial management in the schools will mean better education for the present and future Basotho generations.