Education Finance Management and School Development in Public Secondary Schools in Plateau State

This study investigates the relationship between education finance management practices and school development outcomes in public secondary schools in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. School finance management encompasses planning, budgeting, resource allocation, expenditure control, and financial reporting at the institutional level. Effective finance management is a prerequisite for translating public education funding into improvements in infrastructure, learning resources, and human capital. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with data from 30 school bursars, 30 principals, and 60 senior teachers across 30 secondary schools in Jos North, Barkin Ladi, and Shendam educational zones. Finance management quality was assessed using a structured instrument covering budget planning quality, expenditure transparency, audit compliance, and stakeholder communication about school finances. School development was measured using infrastructure improvement rates, resource availability indices, and teacher welfare supplement frequency. Regression and Pearson correlation analyses were applied. Results reveal that schools with structured budget plans and transparent expenditure reporting demonstrate significantly higher development outcomes. Schools where principals unilaterally controlled finances without bursar oversight showed lower compliance and higher resource leakage risks. The study concludes that sound finance management practices significantly drive school development in Plateau State secondary schools. It recommends that the Plateau State Post Primary Schools Management Board mandate dual-signature financial authorisation in all schools, introduce annual external finance audits, and provide bursars with certified training in public school financial management.

Keywords: education finance management, school development, secondary school, Plateau State, financial accountability.