IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL FUNDING POLICIES ON RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND STUDENT OUTCOME IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN BADAGRY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

The researchers investigated the influence of educational funding policies on resource allocation and student outcomes in Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed, and data collection involved 200 public senior secondary school students randomly selected with 50 participants from each of the 5 purposively selected public senior secondary schools in Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State. A self-designed questionnaire, the Educational Funding Policies, Resource Allocation, and Student Outcome Questionnaire (EFPRASOQ) was developed to gather data, and its content and construct validity was ensured through expert review. The questionnaire also demonstrated high reliability with Cronbach’s Alpha score of 0.874. Simple percentage and Chi-square statistical tools were used to examine relationships between variables with the aid of IBM SPSS 26.0. The study revealed that there is a significant impact of educational funding policies on resource allocation and student outcome in Nigeria; there is a significant effect of the distribution of educational resources among schools and within the study areas on how different funding sources are sourced and there is a significant influence of resource allocation on student achievement, retention, and equity in the Nigerian education system in Badagry Local Government Area. The study concluded that inefficient resource allocation and funding have resulted in resource limitations and inequitable distribution of disparity in the quality of education offered within the study area. The study recommended that the government increase funding for education, enhance transparency and accountability in resource allocation, strengthen monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and involve stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation. educational resources, creating a disparity in the quality of education offered within the study area. The study recommended that the government increase funding for education, enhance transparency and accountability in resource allocation, strengthen monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and involve stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation.