The Relationship between Utilisation of Funds from Income-Generating Activities and Delivery of Co-Curricular Activities in Public Secondary Schools in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between utilisation of funds generated through income-generating activities (IGAs) and delivery of co-curricular activities in public secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The study addressed the financing of equipment, facilities, maintenance, competition participation, coaching, specialist support and talent development in schools facing competing expenditure priorities. Guided by an innovation perspective on responses to resource constraints and Problem-Solving Theory, the study adopted a pragmatic paradigm and convergent parallel mixed-methods design. The target population comprised 609 headteachers, senior teachers of academics and bursars in 203 public secondary schools. An extreme-case procedure selected 80 schools (40 day and 40 boarding), producing 240 respondents. Questionnaires were administered to bursars and senior teachers, while headteachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product-moment correlation and Spearman’s rank correlation; interview data were analysed thematically. The reported school-level analysis (n=80) showed a strong positive association between utilisation of IGA funds and overall co-curricular delivery (r=.730; rs=.741; p<.001). Positive associations were also reported across seven delivery dimensions. The study concludes that higher reported utilisation of IGA funds is associated with stronger reported co-curricular provision in the sampled schools; the correlational design does not establish causation. The study recommends transparent and strategic utilisation of IGA funds to improve co-curricular facilities, equipment, and activities. The study is significant because it identifies internally generated revenue as a potential supplementary resource and underscores transparent, equitable and accountable allocation.