ABSTRACT
The 15 schools discussed in this chapter demonstrate the extent to which the powers granted to schools by LMS and GMS are being used to develop and improve the provision and opportunities for their students. During interviews with over 90 people we were given a wide variety of examples of how the new responsibilities for resource management were being used. Some of these many examples have been organised into four sections, each representing different types of resources: staffing, administration and infrastructure, environment and learning materials. These are followed by a section which examines the use of external sources of funding which are distinct from the school’s basic formula-based budget. It is our assessment that the diversity of these revenue sources constitute, in some degree, innovative practices. We suggest that the greater autonomy and accountability for finance and financial management at the level of the school is contributing to a more entrepreneurial approach, where schools are seeking new sources of funding. In all these five sections we not only cite examples of change but endeavour to report how the schools assessed their effect upon the learning experiences of the students.
