An investigation of fi̇nance and fi̇nance management at lower secondary schools (a case study in the province of Gaziantep)

In this study; it is aimed to examine funding and financing management in secondary schools in line with the opinions of managers in secondary school. This study is important as it attempts identify problems experienced in the management of finance in education and to propose solutions for the problems. This research is a qualitative study. Case study was used as the research design. The study group was comprised of 30 lower secondary school administrators working in central districts of Gaziantep province in the 2016-2017 academic year. In order to determine the study group of the study, "cluster" and "systematic" sampling methods were used as probablistic sampling techniques. Semi-structured interview technique was used in the study in gathering research data. Descriptive, content, frequency and percent analysis was employed to analyze the data. As a result of the research it has been determined that problems in providing funding for secondary schools and funding of secondary schools have been identified as necessary for the solution of problems. Furthermore, it was revealed that allowing school administrations to perform budgetary management can lead to both positive and negative effects. With this study, it is understood that educational quality, academic achievement, freedom to choose schools, managerial success, and the chance to choose better teachers and staff will be improved by the payment given to parents of children for education by the government. Meanwhile, there are also negative aspects of using the tuition fee for the education of the children given by the government; such as the accumulation in schools with high academic success, the ignorance of the parents, favoritism, gossip, and the absence of job guarantee. Key words: Economy, Education Finance, Finance of Lower Secondary Schools, Education Management