Aminah Mukasa^1,, Badru Musisi¹, Betty Akullu Ezati¹

The study explored power dynamics between for-profit secondary school proprietors and headteachers in managing school procurement, focusing on; identifying school suppliers, negotiating contracts, and making purchases. A qualitative case study design was used to collect data in six for-profit schools in Kampala Metropolitan. Two schools are patronized by high income families, two by medium income families, and two by low-income families. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews from 12 participant; one proprietor and one headteacher from each school. The study established that five out of six proprietors have exclusive powers to identify suppliers, negotiate terms, and make school purchases. The headteacher who does is confined to academics-related requirements. Besides, no school observes guidelines for school procurement, and instead, proprietors use their school ownership powers to usurp headteachers procurement duties. We recommend that government fortifies its inspection, supervisory, and advisory support mechanisms to ensure that proprietors comply with procurement guidelines for schools.

School procurement management, for-profit schools, power dynamics, school proprietors