Implementation of Public Procurement Policy and its influence on institutional effectiveness in Public Secondary Schools in Nyanza Region

Abstract

Public secondary schools head-teachers and deputy head-teachers in Nyanza Region have either been sacked, demoted, interdicted or redeployed. Close scrutiny of the reasons for doing this narrows down to procurement related issues. The knowledge level of principals, deputy principals, teachers and non-teaching staff in public schools on procurement policy is low. There is also policy dilemma on procurement policy among public schools in Nyanza region. Procurement logistics is not done as per the required standards because there are procurement challenges faced by the schools. The purpose of this study is to determine implementation of public procurement policy and its influence on institutional effectiveness in public secondary schools in Nyanza Region. The objectives of the study included: to evaluate the influence of knowledge and skills of procurement committee on institutional effectiveness, to analyze the influence of compliance dynamics in the implementation of procurement policy on institutional effectiveness, to determine influence of decisions in the implementation of procurement policy on institutional effectiveness and to examine the influence of ethics in implementation of procurement policy on institutional effectiveness in public secondary schools. The study was anchored on the institutional theory. The study adopted the concurrent mixed methods design where both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used during the various stages of research. Unit of analysis were the principals, procurement committee, teachers and students who were selected through stratified, proportionate, simple random and purposive sampling techniques. The study used purposive sampling method to select sample of the principals, stratified sampling method used to select schools from various categories such as national schools, extra-county schools, county schools and sub-county. Simple random sampling design was used to sample procurement committee members. Collecting of data was done through the use of interviews and questionnaires. The study used structured questionnaire for principals, procurement committee and teachers. The interview guide was used for the chair procurement committee and students. Analysis was done using quantitative and qualitative techniques. Data was analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics that entailed frequencies, percentages and means. Inferential statistics entailed multiple regression and correlation analyses that were conducted to measure the association between dependent and independent variables which were knowledge and skills, compliance dynamics, implementation of procurement decisions by procurement committee, and procurement ethics (independent variables) and effectiveness of public secondary schools in Nyanza Region (dependent variable). Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis procedures and then presented thematically according to the research objectives. The study concluded that; knowledge and skills of procurement committee members in procurement policy has a significant bearing on school effectiveness in public secondary schools and stringent adhering to procurement morals could significantly boost procuring committee performance in public secondary schools. The research recommends that there is need for stiffer punishments to be enacted for violation of codes or procurement morals. There is also need for enhanced inspection of all procuring actions to make sure there is compliance with the moral codes. Detailed selection of all suppliers looking for prequalification and those looking for tenders need to be done to reduce incidences of conflict of interest.