Evaluating the impact of philanthropic activities in public high schools in Mutasa District, Zimbabwe : an educational management perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of philanthropic interventions in public high schools in Mutasa district of Zimbabwe. Three research questions guided the study. The investigation focused on finding out the types of philanthropic interventions in the public high school and to evaluate their impact on the schools and students involved from an educational management perspective. The investigation was a mixed methods research using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data was collected by questionnaire, interview and documentary sources. Principals of twenty nine high schools responded to a questionnaire. Interview data was gathered from two representatives of non-governmental organisations. One NGO also provided documents for more data. Two individual philanthropists from the district were also interviewed. The results of the study indicate that philanthropic interventions have made significant improvements to the physical infrastructure of some schools. During the 2014 study there were about 700 students from poor backgrounds on various school fees assistance programmes. School enrolment and completion rates have increased. School drop-outs have decreased. Over 6 500 former beneficiaries of fees from one donor organisation have formed an alumni association to assist other children in disadvantaged circumstances. It is strongly recommended that schools in the district and elsewhere use online social network platforms to organise alumni associations from a wider catchment area beyond national borders. Alumni associations are a potentially rich source of philanthropic revenue hardly tapped in the district. Schools should create their own websites to be exposed to a global audience of donors for possible funding of their projects.