Institutional Management Practices and Pupils’ Learning Outcomes in Selected Primary Schools in Central Uganda

Abstract

The provision of quality education has preoccupied educationists and policymakers to date. The debate is at the top of the global agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG4). However, empirical evidence on how institutional management practices influence pupils’ learning outcomes at the primary level in Uganda remains limited and fragmented. This study examined the influence of financial management practices, resource allocation and governance structures on pupils’ learning outcomes in selected primary schools in Central Uganda. Using a cross-sectional design and hierarchical regression analysis on data from 251 respondents, the study found that financial management practices and governance structures significantly predict learning outcomes, while resource allocation showed no meaningful effect. The final model explained 43.1% of the variance in learning outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening the financial management systems and school governance to enhance learning outcomes. The study contributes context –specific empirical evidence to institutional management research and informs policy and practice in Uganda’s primary education sector.