Effects of Using Capitation Grants on Access and Academic Performance of Lower Secondary Schools in Uganda: A Case Study of Koboko Municipality

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of capitation grant on access and academic performance of Lower secondary school students in Koboko Municipality in Uganda. Specifically, the study sought to find out the background characteristics; to assess perception on the effect of capitation grant on teaching and learning process; establish the relationship between attributes and school physical infrastructure on academic performance of students in West Nile region. This study employed a descriptive survey design that is cross sectional in nature to describe and explain the effect of capitation grant on access and academic performance of secondary schools in Koboko Municipality to include a total population of 50 students and making a total of 55 respondents around the West Nile region. Average age was found to be 18 years whereas the variance was at 1.9 and 1.38 as the standard deviation. Even though age of the students was moderately negatively skewed (Sk = -.0688643), the age of students was found not to vary from one to another. In primary leaving examinations, the best student in all these schools obtained 8 points while the worst had obtained 22 in their primary leaving examinations. On average, the majority of the students had obtained second grade division (15.25) which was deemed to be better performance given the education qualities found at the schools in West Nile. The study identified low student-teacher contact time, teacher unpreparedness to teach and lack of parental involvement in form of limited collective cost sharing in schools, therefore, should make parents aware of the importance of schooling (some parents believe that school is for the rich or is a waste of time). Besides, to monitor proper attendance of students, teachers should improve follow-up on student attendance (e.g., by keeping proper registers