The impact of administration of sponsorship schemes on progression rates of pupils from low income families in selected boarding secondary schools in Southern province
Date
2011-05-11
Authors
Kanondo, Adrinnie K
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Abstract
The main objective of the study was to determine the impact of sponsorship
schemes of pupils from low-income families in selected boarding secondary schools in
Southern Province. The study tried to establish how these schemes were offered and what,if any, their limitations were.
The sample of pupils was drawn from grades 9 to 12 pupils in the 8 sample
schools. The rationale for selecting pupils in these grades was that they would have
knowledge of sponsorship schemes and some of the deserving pupils in these grades
would have been put on the schemes. Through random sampling, eight out of seventeen
boarding secondary schools eligible for this study was selected. Of the eight schools
studied, four were Government (co-educational) and the remaining four were Grant Aided(two single-sex and two co-educational). This discrepancy was as a result of the Government phasing out single-sex schools.A total of 280 grades 9 to 12 pupils were randomly selected (80 in grade 9, 40 in grade 10, 80 in grade 11 and 80 in grade 12) from the target schools to complete questionnaires. The questionnaires were directed at collecting data from pupils, Head Teachers of schools and PTA Executive representatives. The pupils' questionnaire sought data on pupils' biography, socio-economic status of the parents / guardians, pupils' knowledge of sponsorship schemes, pupils' source of school fees and school drop outs for
lack of school fees. The Head Teachers' questionnaire sought information on types of
sponsorship schemes in boarding secondary schools for pupils from low-income families,
selection criteria and procedures of sponsorship, modes of administration of sponsorship schemes and progression rates of these pupils on the basis of continuity of the sponsorship schemes. The questionnaire for the PTA Executive representative sought data on parents'knowledge of sponsorship schemes offered in boarding secondary schools, their role in the sponsorship of pupils from low-income families and their views on educational sponsorship at secondary school level. Whereas the pupils, Head Teachers and the PTA Executive committee in the sample schools had to fill in questionnaires, the administrators of bursary and sponsorship schemes at Government, Church and Non-Governmental Organisation levels were interviewed to supply the following information: the number of sponsorship schemes offered in the sample schools, amounts of money charged as school fees to each pupil per term, the total number of pupils on each identified sponsorship scheme, the number of
pupils progressing in and completing school with the help of the schemes and the
administration of these sponsorship schemes.
In data analysis, factual presentation was done and inferences made based on responses from questionnaires and interviews. Descriptive findings from documented data
were reinforced by descriptive statistics whenever and wherever necessary.The study revealed that some sponsorship schemes by various Non-Governmental Organisations, Government Ministries and Churches were available in boarding secondary schools for pupils from low-income families who may have difficulties in paying their school fees. The highest number of pupils in the sample on sponsorship (17 out of 50) was from the grade 12 sample and these had been on the schemes for more than two years. All Head Teachers of the sample schools and the PTA Executive Committee representatives agreed that pupils from low-income families needed to be helped in the financing of their
education. The Non-Governmental Organisations were willing to finance the education of these needy pupils until they completed school and the Church per se had the highest number of pupils in the sample on sponsorship for more than a year (54 per cent).In the administration of these sponsorship schemes, the Non-Governmental
Organisations followed the community involvement model that was outside the
bureaucracy of the school system. The Ministry of Community Development and Social
Services followed a similar model in its administration of the Public Welfare Assistance Scheme (PWAS). This model denied the Head Teachers of schools full participation in the administration of the sponsorship schemes but concerned itself with the improvement of the community using the child as a means to alleviate the poverty status of the community.The sponsors opted not to advertise their schemes for fear of attracting attention from
undeserving clientele. They also opted to administer their schemes in schools independent of the Head Teachers of schools and no records were available on the progression in school of the pupils on these schemes.The Churches, Schools and the Ministry of Education followed the school
involvement administrative model that was within the administration of the school system and pupils progressed in and even completed school. This model concerned itself with the ability of the child to complete school and it had an impact on the progression of pupils from low-income families. The noticed impact on this progression was determined by the
duration of the sponsorship of each pupil in the sample. However, the Ministry of
Education did not successfully administer its scheme within this model because of not fully involving Head Teachers of schools, pupils, teachers and parents. A comparison of the two administrative models indicated that the school involvement model had an advantage over the community involvement model in that more pupils (60 per cent) completed school with the help of the schemes using the school involvement model.
The study concluded that between the two types of administrative models of sponsorship schemes operating in boarding secondary schools in the Southern Province,
the school involvement administrative model has a higher impact on the progression of
needy pupils than the community involvement administrative model. This was generally so
because of the involvement of the school Head Teachers, pupils and parents in the
administration of the sponsorship schemes. The community involvement model was external to the school in its operation. It did not involve the school authorities in the
identification of the needy pupils and in the monitoring of their progress in school. School Head Teachers and pupils did not have sufficient information on the sponsorship schemes.The study recommends the adoption of the school involvement administrative
model for the needy pupils. Since this model involves the school Head Teachers, teachers,
pupils and parents, it is easier to monitor the progress of the pupils in the school.
However, for more generalised findings on the impact of the administration of
sponsorship schemes on the education of the needy children in the country, there is need
to carry out a longitudinal study involving more than one Province. In the longitudinal
study, the progression in school of these pupils sponsored by each organisation should be monitored for a longer period of time.
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Keywords
Education , Education and state , Education -- Economic aspects -- Zambia