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ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025

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The Effects of Constituency Development Fund on School
Infrastructure with Regard to Provision of a Conducive Learning

Environment for Learners in Selected Secondary Schools in Nakuru
County, Kenya

*Dr. Naftal Michira Nyang’ara1, Amos Oduor Gamba2

1School of Education, Laikipia University, P.O. Box 1100-20300, Nyahururu- Kenya

2Department of Psychology, Laikipia University, P.O Box 1100-20300, Nyahururu-Kenya

*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.910000428

Received: 20 October 2025; Accepted: 28 October 2025; Published: 14 November 2025

ABSTRACT

The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has been utilized by the Kenyan government to facilitate secondary
school opportunities through the construction of infrastructural facilities which in the leads to the improvement
of learner performance due to conducive learning environments, these infrastructural facilities includes;
classrooms, laboratories, procurement of desks and chairs, and the disbursement of bursaries to financially
disadvantaged students. Consequently, this study aimed to assess the effects of Constituency Development Fund
on school infrastructure in selected secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya.In order to accomplish this
objective, the study employed a cross-sectional study methodology. The decentralization theory served as
theoretical framework for this research. The study sample comprised of 34 head teachers who were chosen
through purposive sampling and 340 pupils selected through simple random sampling. This resulted in a total
sample size of 374 participants. The study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. This
included Principals Testing Questionnaire Instrument (PTQI) for the principals that were self-administered. Data
was gathered from the students using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The study used the Statistical Package
for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 to analyze the data collected. The descriptive statistics included
frequencies and percentages. It was established that CDF is utilized to support development projects with direct
social and economic impacts to the schools according to majority of the respondents (68.0 %). It was stated by
82.4 % of the head teachers that through CDF, they have been able to establish the laboratory facilities leading
to improvement of students’ performance in science subjects in their schools. CDF was found to have contributed
positively to the equipping of the school libraries by buying new textbooks according to 76.5 % of the head
teachers. Majority of the respondents (58.8 %) stated that CDF had facilitated them with necessary resource for
curriculum implementation in their schools. The correlation analysis test at 5 % level of significance revealed
that the effects of Constituency Development Fund on school infrastructure yielded a correlation coefficient r
(34) = 0.568, p-value = 0.000, on enrollment of students, it yielded a correlation coefficient r (34) = 0.551, p-
value = 0.000 as well as on curriculum implementation yielded a correlation coefficient r (34) = 0.590, p-
value=0.000. The study recommended that all stakeholders in the education sector which include parents, leaders
and school management to be brought on board when formulating policies governing education funding from
CDF. This will ensure that priorities are well placed on the allocation, disbursement and utilization of CDF for
the optimal goal in promoting education in Kenya.

Keywords: the effect of Constituency Development Fund on school infrastructure

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Secondary schooling is a path towards prospects and gains in the economic sector and efforts in communal
development. During the 1990s, local educational funding of education in Kenya was through cost-sharing

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frameworks that necessitated substantial portions of education costs to be met through collaborative
arrangements amongst the public sector, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), faith-based institutions,
development agencies, communities/private citizens and commercial enterprises (Brophy, 2020).

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) 2000 report on
the right to education, there has been a significant increase in the number of elementary schools since the 1950s,
particularly in developing nations. In the end, this has resulted in a steady increase in secondary school
enrollment. The increased accessibility to secondary education has been faced with a decline in the value of
education and studying due to the overcrowding in the classrooms and overstretching of the scarce resources
that are available in the schools making the process inefficient (Nyaguthii & Oyugi, 2020). This has led to the
need for consideration on restructuring the education system so as to re-engineer secondary schools to guarantee
that they fulfill their integral function in the accessibility of quality education. Secondary education is an
important stage that cannot be ignored in the whole education system and most importantly in the shaping of the
destiny for the youth.

In Senegal, there are initiatives to finance the buying of instructive equipment and other non-wage expenses
(Chikoko & Mthembu, 2020). These charges are controlled through Governmental declaration. . In Madagascar
and Senegal, governments can, in principle, reduce the fees set by registered private institutions. However not
very common in Senegal, in Madagascar more than two-thirds of the institutes obtain donations, though they are
of a low sum. Also in Madagascar, the government offers a fractional amount of 40% of private school instructors
(Brown, Kelly, and Mabagu, 2017). Proceedings in the World Education Forum, Dakar, 2000, emphasized on
the turn of events for learners after transiting from primary schools pointing out the secondary education as the
game changer in the laying the foundation for learners, Okutu, A. A., Akala, W. J., & Momanyi, M. (2024). The
Government of Kenya (GoK) establishes several mechanisms for financial decentralization as the remedy to
emerging social and public problems by mitigating and eradicating poverty and inequality (Mate &Wesonga,
2018).

The key reason underlying the establishment of the CDF Act, 2003, was to provide funds to support development
projects with direct social and economic impacts by uplifting the lives of the people through poverty alleviation
as well as uplifting their living standards by fighting and eradicating financial deficiency at the district level
(Okutu, A. A., Akala, W. J., & Momanyi, M. (2024). The 2003 CDF Act particularly provides; “…the provisions
of this Act shall ensure that a specific portion of the national budget is devoted to the constituencies for purposes
of development and in particular in the fight against poverty at the constituency level…” (Mwangi, Nyang’wara
& Ole Kulet, 2021).

Kenya has demonstrated a good example of the decentralized financing mechanism in the Constituency
Development Fund (CDF) founded in 2003 via the Constituency Development Fund Act. This was recorded and
established within the Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 107 (AG No. 11) of 9th January, 2004, under the
governmental rule of the National Alliance Rainbow Coalition (NARC). It is a financial allocation that is
budgeted annually by the legislature through the national Assembly to the constituencies. In the face of the
increases in primary school enrolments, Kenya faces low enrollment rates with regards to secondary schools,
valued at about enrollment 50% (Nzuki, 2018).

Public schools take a long time to get established as an outcome of inadequate and unreliable fiscal support
necessary for construction of basic facilities such as classrooms, laboratories, staffroom, and even wash rooms.
Majority of parents in these schools are poor, hence hardly pay levies such as PA development fund charged by
the schools to facilitate infrastructural development. These schools tend to rely on CDFs as the only source of
constructing new facilities and expanding existing ones (Nakhumicha & Macharia, 2017). The 2013 CDF Act
was ratified to ensure that its constitutional validity corresponded with Kenya's 2010 Constitution, with a
particular emphasis on upholding the values of accountability, transparency, the separation of powers,
and public involvement. According to Musyoka (2020), the new law also aimed to align the fund's operations
with the more recent devolved government system.

According to Okutu, A. A., Akala, W. J., & Momanyi, M. (2024), Okutu, A. A., Akala, W. J., & Momanyi, M.
(2024), before Kenya attained its independence in 1963, secondary school education was provided along racial

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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lines with the existence of distinct European, Asian, and African exclusive institutions. European schools boasted
the more equipped learning facilities whilst their counterpart African schools, attended by children of African
Elites, suffered from inadequate amenities.

The funds’ main focus is to support the sustainable development of individual and foundation projects at the
societal and district levels by establishing through the establishment of beneficial projects which includes school
infrastructural facilities.

Statement of the Problem

The Constituency Development Fund program in Kenya was introduced in the year 2003. The trust was
specifically premeditated in the support of constituency-level, basic improvement projects. It was intended to
achieve impartial allotment of development assets and reserves transversely. It also aimed to regulate lack of
proper balances in local development, usually influenced by partisan politics. It was directed towards each
district-level growth plan, particularly those seeking to improve school performance through the expansion of
school infrastructural facilities. The Constituency development fund agenda has provided a boost in establishing
of new class rooms, laboratories and school toilets.

The main aim of secondary education in Kenya is to enhance admission and value of schooling whilst effectively
reducing recognized challenges. Constituency Development Funds (CDF) have been used by the government of
Kenya to expand secondary school opportunities through building of classrooms, laboratories, procurement of
desks and chairs and payment of fees through bursaries to needy students. However, there is little information
about the effects of CDF on school infrastructure in selected secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya.
Although CDF has funded infrastructure and bursaries, little empirical evidence exists on its effects on
educational opportunities in Nakuru County. Therefore this study sought to assess the effect of Constituency
Development Fund on on school infrastructural facilities at Nakuru County, Kenya.

Theoretical Framework

This study was guided by the decentralization theory which talks about the effects of fiscal decentralization,
including theoretical problems and practical difficulties, Martinez-Vazquez (2011). In Kenya, CDF which is a
form of decentralized fund is disbursed to all the constituencies in the country. According to decentralization
theory the local communities at the constituency level through the guidance of the CDF committee identifies
priority projects that need to be undertaken. In most cases, a bigger percentage of the fund is used in education.
Therefore this theory guided this study in terms of understanding how conducive learning environments affected
learning of students. This theory sets forth theoretical framework that would compel government and school
Boards provide conducive learning environments by providing functional infrastructural facilities in order to
ensure that there is effective classroom learning.

METHODS

The study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. This included Head Teachers Testing
Questionnaire Instrument (HTTQI) for the head teachers that were self-administered. Data was gathered from
the students using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). This design is suitable in situations where questions such
as how, why and what are investigated on a certain phenomena to give facts of the situation as they are, without
any interference by the researcher. The design was considered appropriate because it met the objectives of the
study. The researcher used a questionnaire, interview schedule and an observation schedule to measure the
variables. Questionnaire, interview and observation schedule were preferred for this study because they ensured
that a wider range of participant’s responses were captured Chikoko, V., &Mthembu, P. (2020) Data was
analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively in the light of the research questions. The results from the data
analysis were interpreted, inferences made and presented descriptively using percentage and frequency tables.
The study used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 to analyze the data collected.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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RESULTS

The effects of Constituency Development Fund on school infrastructure towards improvement of learner
performance

The study sought to assess the effects of Constituency Development Fund on school infrastructure with regard
to provision of a conducive learning environment for learners in selected secondary schools in Nakuru County,
Kenya. The inquiry was about whether the Constituency Development Funds were utilized to provide the
required school infrastructure in order to provide a conducive learning environment for learners for improved
classroom performance.The findings were presented in the table 1.

It should be noted that there can be no productive educative exercise without adequacy of resource materials
(Urevbu, 2018) thus underscoring the importance of school infrastructure.

The participants were requested to respond to the statements in table 1 categorized into 5 Likert Scale answer
options namely; “Strongly Disagree = 1”, “Disagree = 2”, “Not sure = 3”, “Agree = 4”, and “Strongly Agree =
5”. The response were summarized using a dichotomous scale with two categorizations, where 1–2 were
considered to be in disagreement with the statement and 4–5 considered to be in agreement.

Table 4.7: Effects of CDF on School Infrastructure

Statement Agree Disagree

F % F % Mean

I am aware of the constituency Development Fund (CDF) 32 94.1 2 5.9 3.76

My school has benefited from the CDF 24 70.6 10 29.4 3.44

Establishment of laboratory facilities has led to improvement of students in
science subjects in my school.

28 82.4 6 17.6 3.87

CDF has contributed positively to the equipping of the school library by
buying new textbooks

26 76.5 8 23.5 3.71

My school has installed electricity through CDF allocation 24 70.6 10 29.4 3.68

My school has connected clean drinking water through CDF 25 73.5 9 26.5 3.6

My school has built a good sanitation system through CDF 26 76.5 8 23.5 3.68

My school has built extra classrooms through the support of CDF 29 85.3 6 17.6 3.8

It is visible (from Table 1) that majority (94.1 %) of the head teachers were in agreement that they were aware
of CDF whilst 5.9 % were not aware of the opportunities under the CDF. This implies that to a larger extent the
head teachers were aware about CDF and the opportunities thereof. The study also sought to establish if the
secondary schools led by these head teachers had benefited from CDF allocation. It is evident from table 1 that
majority (70.6 %) of the head teachers responded in agreement with the statement whilst 29.4 % disagreed to
ever benefitting from CDF. In view of this, majority differed with the assertion that they have never benefited
from CDF whilst a few agreed to the statement. This agrees with GOK, 2003, after the year 2000, there was
determination on the side of the government in the expansion of opportunities of access to reasonably priced
secondary education. They asserted that constituency development fund offers a viable alternative source of
financing secondary schools to expand physically and acquire necessary instructional resources that would lead
to improvement classroom learning.

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The study further sought to establish from the principals how the CDF fund was utilized. It was stated by 82.4
% of the head teachers that through CDF, they have been able to establish laboratory facilities leading to
improvement in performance of students in science subjects in their schools. CDF was found to have contributed
positively to the equipping of the school library by buying new textbooks according to 76.5 % of the head
teachers.

From the evidence provided in table 1, it is observed that majority (70.6 %) of the head teachers agreed that they
had been able to install electricity through CDF allocation, whilst 29.4 % of the participants disagreed with the
statement. Regarding connection to clean drinking water, majority (73.5 %) of the principals agreed that CDF
allocation allowed them to acquire the connection whilst 26.5 % of disagreed with the statement. Majority of the
head teachers (76.5 %) agreed that CDF allocation had led to the improvement of sanitation facilities
consequently leading to conducive learning environment. Majority of the principals (85.3 %) strongly agreed
that CDF had enabled them build new classrooms possibly to cater for increased enrollment and therefore making
education more attractive to more new students.

The students were asked to state the condition of the school in terms of infrastructure. They stated the schools
were fenced, some with live fence which was not secure in some corners in the school perimeter while a few
were said to have a secure concrete fence. The schools were gated. Students stated that the classrooms were
adequate to accommodate students without overcrowding. However, students complained that some classroom
structures needed to be upgraded by repairing the floor, replacing broken windows and doors, fixing some
leaking roofs as well as painting the walls and the roofs to give the schools a better look. As for the facilities for
extra-curriculum activities, most students complained of not having adequate sporting facilities like balls and
sporting attires. Students were also of the opinion that through the CDF funding, the schools should provide
them with better entertainment facilities by installing music system and big screen televisions installed with
decoders for them to follow world sports, music and movies at the time of entertainment.

It can generally be inferred from the analysis that CDF allocation was majorly being used for building
laboratories (Mean = 3.87) extra classes (mean= 3.76), equipping the library (Mean = 3.71) followed by
improvement of sanitation facilities and electricity connection (mean = 3.68) and provision of clean drinking
water (mean = 3.60). This finding is in support of Lewin &Caillods, (2022), who claims that the government
endures as the lead authority liable for the provision of infrastructural education facilities in any country.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The study sought to assess the effects of Constituency Development Fund on school infrastructure with regard
to provision of a conducive learning environment for learners in selected secondary schools in Nakuru County,
Kenya. The study findings revealed that head teachers were aware of the constituency Development Fund (CDF)
and schools had immensely benefited from the CDF in terms of establishment of laboratory facilities leading
provision of conducive learning environment and consequently improvement of students performance in science
subjects due to construction of science laboratories, equipping of the school library by buying new textbooks,
electricity installation, connection to clean drinking, sanitation system as well as building of extra classrooms
due more students getting attracted to join school.

The study recommends that all stakeholders in Kenya’s education sector which includes; parents, leaders and
school management to be brought on board when formulating policies governing education funding from
constituency Development Funds. This will ensure that priorities are well placed on the allocation, disbursement
and utilization of CDF for the optimal goal in the provision of conducive learning environments. The study
recommends for timely disbursement of CDF bursaries awards to needy students particularly orphans.

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