The impact of decentralization on infrastructural development in UPE schools in Rakai District.

Abstract

DISSERTATIONS:

The study explored the impact of decentralization on infrastructure development in UPE schools of Rakai district. The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of decentralization on infrastructure development in UPE schools in the district. The study was guided by the specific objectives that included; to identify the ratio of pupil to infrastructure in UPE schools in the district with regard to classroom, toilet and library, to explore the infrastructure that has been built in the district’s UPE schools before and after decentralization, to establish whether decentralization programs have impacted on provision of classroom, staff houses, libraries and toilet facilities in UPE schools in the district, to examine the role of local councils in infrastructure development in the district’s UPE schools, and to assess the quality of the infrastructure built in the districts UPE school if any. The study adopted a cross sectional descriptive survey design both qualitative and quantitative in nature to carry out a study on a sample of 80 respondents selected from 40 UPE schools in Rakai district. The study employed both secondary and primary data from which data was collected using mail questionnaires, interview and observation guides. Data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages and presented using tables. Findings revealed that the ratio of pupils to infrastructure is still high in the district’s UPE schools, although a reasonable number of infrastructure have been added after decentralization in all three cases of classroom, library and toilets. Local councils are however, reluctantly involved in the development of infrastructure in the schools that participated in the study. The quality of infrastructure has improved after decentralization although not yet up the required standards. It was concluded that decentralization has to a large extent impacted the development of infrastructure in UPE schools. Furthermore, effort is still needed to build more structures to accommodate the high ratios of pupils to infrastructure. It was recommended that sustainability of performance by the decentralization programme is required if UPE programme is to be more successful. More funding agencies in coalition with the central government could help achieve this.