Exploring the Processes and Outputs of School Grants : The Case for Direct Support to Schools in Malawi <Special Issue : Study results of the Africa-Asia university dialogue for educational development network second phase>

In a growing number of countries of the developing world, there has been a shift in policy from fee paying to fee free education for the basic education level of schooling. This has necessitated the introduction of grants directly to schools to mitigate delays in procurement of goods and services by centralized education management systems. In Malawi Direct Support to Schools (DSS) was introduced in 2006 to enable schools purchase teaching and learning materials and perform small scale maintenance and rehabilitation. The research reported in this paper analyzed the processes and outcomes of DSS in the schools. The aim was to explore the mechanisms for grant administration, the challenges encountered and the impact of the grant on quality of education and grassroots participation in school management so as to inform the Primary School Improvement Plan (PSIP) grant which is to replace DSS. The findings of the study have shown that the mechanisms for grant administration are participatory and therefore conducive to accountability. The grant has helped improve education quality through ensuring that teaching and learning materials are available; improving the learning environment; increasing local participation in school management; increasing the financial management skills of head teachers and SMC; and improving parental attitudes to schooling. However the impact of the grant has been negatively affected by criteria for allocation, grant amount and delays in its disbursement.