PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND PRIMARY EDUCATION SERVICE DELIVERY IN BUGAMBE SUB COUNTY, HOIMA DISTRICT

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess how public participation affected primary education service delivery in Bugambe Sub County. The objectives of the study were to find out the effect of public participation in program planning on primary education service delivery in selected primary schools in Bugambe Sub county, to examine the effect of public participation in program implementation on primary education service delivery in selected primary schools in Bugambe Sub County and to assess the effect of public participation in program monitoring on primary education service delivery in selected primary schools in Bugambe Sub County. A cross sectional study design was adopted in this study where both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used for data collection and data analysis. The sample was 181 respondents but the study managed to get 158 respondents with a response rate of 89%. The simple random method was used to select teachers and school community members while purposive sampling was used to select headteachers, DEO, DIS and EO. For quantitative data, descriptive statistics (percentages and frequencies) were employed to establish the views of respondents on background information and each of the variables in this study while inferential statistics (correlation, coefficient of determination and regression) were used to test the hypothesis. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Findings revealed a positive weak effect (10.4%) of public participation in program planning on primary education service delivery. There was a weak positive effect (9.7%) of public participation in program implementation on primary education service delivery. There was a weak positive effect (11.4%) of public participation in program monitoring on primary education service delivery. It was concluded that one dimension of public participation in planning (that is participation in decision-making) significantly affected primary education service delivery while participation in problem identification did not. In addition, only one dimension of public participation in implementation (that is participation in resource mobilization) significantly affected primary education service delivery while participation in needs assessment did not. Lastly, the two dimensions public participation in monitoring and evaluation (that is participation in quality assurance and participation in taking corrective action) significantly affected primary education service delivery but participation in quality assurance had a larger effect. It was concluded that public participation significantly affected primary education service delivery in Bugambe Sub County.