DOI: 10.30964/auebfd.1804337 ISSN: 1301-3718

Managing Budgets in Crisis, Ensuring Quality Primary Education

Gawie Schlebusch, Persians Mabizweny Machava, Sithole Nosihle Veronica
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This article examines how Section 21 primary schools in the Lejweleputswa Education District sustained quality education during COVID 19 through financial leadership and management. Guided by the Theory of Financial Control, the study adopted an interpretive, qualitative phenomenological design. Ten participants, five principals and five SGB treasurers, were purposively selected. Data were generated through semi structured interviews and analysed thematically. Ethical principles were observed and included informed consent, confidentiality, and voluntary participation. Four themes emerged. Budgetary constraints stemmed from declining fee income and rising costs for sanitation, PPE, and continuity of learning. Effective budgeting techniques included incremental and zero-based approaches, frequent reprioritisation, and strengthened financial management. Adapting to emergency expenditures required rapid realignment of plans, yet the absence of contingency funds strained routine operations. Exploring alternative funding sources involved partnerships, virtual fundraising, and grants to support essential services and digital tools. The study concludes that targeted training for principals and SGBs, robust internal controls, contingency planning, and diversified revenue streams are critical for resilience. Findings inform policy and capacity building aimed at safeguarding educational quality during present and future disruptions.

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