Background of the Study
Financial planning is essential for the effective management of resources in educational institutions. In technical colleges, which are designed to equip students with practical and technical skills, financial planning ensures adequate funding for infrastructure, equipment, and personnel (Oghenekaro & Abiola, 2023). However, many technical colleges in Nigeria, particularly in Delta State, struggle with poor financial planning, leading to inadequate facilities, lack of instructional materials, and delays in project implementation.
Technical colleges in Delta State play a critical role in preparing students for the workforce, particularly in fields like engineering, agriculture, and manufacturing. Despite their importance, poor financial management has been a recurring issue, often attributed to limited funding, corruption, and poor budgetary processes (Ezekiel & Adeola, 2024). These challenges undermine the performance of these institutions, affecting students' learning outcomes and employability.
Existing research highlights the link between financial planning and institutional performance. For example, a study by Bello and Okafor (2023) found that institutions with robust financial planning strategies recorded better performance in terms of infrastructure development and academic excellence. This study seeks to explore how poor financial planning affects the performance of technical colleges in Delta State, providing insights for stakeholders to improve resource management.
Statement of the Problem
The performance of technical colleges in Delta State has been declining due to poor financial planning, which manifests in underfunded programs, outdated equipment, and poorly maintained infrastructure. These issues limit the ability of these institutions to fulfill their mandate of providing quality technical education (Oghenekaro & Abiola, 2023).
Furthermore, poor financial planning often leads to misallocation of funds, corruption, and delays in project execution, exacerbating the challenges faced by technical colleges (Ezekiel & Adeola, 2024). Despite the significance of financial planning in educational institutions, little research has been conducted on its impact on the performance of technical colleges in Delta State. This study seeks to fill this gap by investigating the relationship between poor financial planning and institutional performance, offering recommendations for effective financial management.
Objectives of the Study
Research Questions
Research Hypotheses
Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study focuses on technical colleges in Delta State, examining the effects of financial planning on institutional performance. It excludes other educational institutions and considers only financial management practices within the past five years. Limitations include challenges in obtaining financial records and potential biases in stakeholder responses.
Definitions of Terms