Church-government relations in the management of church founded secondary schools in Norhwest Ankole diocese in Ibanda since 2017 to 2025

Abstract

This research aims to explore the Church - the Government's relationships in the provision and management of Church founded secondary education in Uganda. The focus of this study will primarily be on the management of Anglican Secondary Schools located within Northwest Ankole Diocese over the period of 2017 - 2025. Changes in Government education policies particularly the introduction of Universal Secondary Education (USE) have created a strained relationship between the Church as the founder and the Government as the principal financier of education relative to issues of authority, governance, and educational priorities. This study will examine how these relations affect the governance of Anglican Secondary Schools, academic achievement and the Church's mission and purpose in providing education starting from Biblical historical point of view. The study will use a quantitative descriptive research design to collect data from participants selected from the population purposively. Data will be analyzed through quantitative method which will come up with a thematic basis to identify key themes and patterns from the research objectives. The study found that while Government has improved the access to education and the infrastructure associated with educational provision, Government actions have also created a number of challenges for Church authorities with respect to maintaining control and decision-making in relation to the educational operations of their schools and to preserving a Christian identity within Church founded schools. The conclusion from the study will include the strategies and recommendations.