Effect of Procurement Regulations Adherence in Procurement Process Administration in Public Secondary Schools in Emuhaya Sub-County, Kenya
Abstract/ Overview
Public Procurement sector in Kenya has evolved from a crude system with no regulations to an
orderly legally regulated procurement system by procedures laid out in the Public Procurement
and Asset disposal Act, 2015 .Most of previous studies have looked at factors influencing
compliance and non-compliance of public procurement procedures but does not establish the
influence of procurement regulation compliance to procurement administration in public sector
especially in public schools. Hence the purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of
procurement regulation adherence on procurement process administration in Kenyan public
secondary schools. Specifically to: establish the influence of transparency on procurement
process administration, to examine the influence of competitive bidding on procurement process
administration, to establish the influence of professionalism on procurement process
administration and examine the influence of quality sourcing on procurement process
administration in public secondary schools in Emuhaya sub-County,Vihiga County, Kenya. The
study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study population was two hundred and
seventy two respondents (272). This comprised thirty four (34) deputies, thirty four bursars (34)
and two hundred and four teachers (204). In this study a sample size of one hundred and twenty
(120) representing 44.12% of total population was used. To ensure validity, the instruments were
designed in relation to the objectives of the study. The instruments were developed with the
assistance of experts in the school of business and Economics, Maseno University. The
questionnaires were tested for reliability. This was done at three levels that is, pre-tryout, tryout
and piloting. A coefficient of correlation was calculated at the level of 0.5 using Pearson's
Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Formulafor reliability. The reliability coefficient was
found to be 0.76 making them reliable enough to be used for data collection. The collected
quantitative data from questionnaires was coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics where
percentages, frequencies was used to present data while thematic and content analysis will be
used to analyzed qualitative data. The study found out that majority of schools 48(54.5%) used
the school policy in determining what needed to be procured .However most 46(52.3%) of the
goods and services procured were not really needed in school. In addition, to be awarded a
tender, the economic standing 64(72.7%) of the supplier was crucial while legal standing
40(45.5%) of the supplier was not a determinant. The findings of the study also show that that
majority 52(59.1 %) of participants were in agreement that tender committee members lacked
training in procurement. Training of all involved in procurements should be mandatory to ensure
adherence to procurement regulations.Continous sensitizing of schools on procurement
procedures and auditing of schools on level of compliance will ensure schools do not flout the
regulations of procurement. It is hoped that the findings of the study will help policy makers in
education sector in streamlining procurement in secondary schools. Also the scholars will benefit
from the data from on procurement in learning institution