An Assessment of the Impact of Constituency Development Fund on Rural Development in Education and Health Sectors in Rufunsa Constituency, Zambia
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International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 10, Issue 8, August 2020 886 ISSN 2250-3153 An Assessment of the Impact of Constituency Development Fund on Rural Development in Education and Health Sectors in Rufunsa Constituency, Zambia Chrine, C. Hapompwe1; Mabvuto Nanias Tembo2 & Elizabeth Zyambo3 1Lecturer; Cavendish University Zambia, Faculty of Arts, Education & Social Sciences 2Post Graduate Student; Cavendish University Zambia, Department of Development Studies 3Head of Department; Cavendish University Zambia, Faculty of Business & Information Technology DOI: 10.29322/IJSRP.10.08.2020.p104110 http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.10.08.2020.p104110 Abstract- This study envisioned to empirically assess the impact On the other hand, the study found out that the factors accounting of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) on rural development for the low level of community participation in CDF projects with specific reference to education and health services in Rufunsa included lack of awareness and knowledge of CDF availability, Constituency, east of Lusaka, Zambia. The objectives of the study lack of awareness about the right and opportunities for were: to assess central government’s consistency in disbursing participation, inadequate information dissemination, poverty and CDF fund to Rufunsa Constituency; to assess the impact of CDF poor community attitudes towards development participation and in the provision of health and education facilities in Rufunsa projects. The study concluded that rural development programmes constituency; and to assess the level of community participation in are fundamental tools in improving the lives of people in the rural CDF funded projects in the health and education sectors in settings, hence the need for CDF programmes to be prioritised on Rufunsa Constituency. The study adopted a descriptive analytical the national agenda and be properly synchronised in governmental research design incorporating quantitative and qualitative policies in order to mitigate glaring rural underdevelopment. The methodological paradigms with the questionnaires and semi- success of CDF as a rural poverty alleviation strategy can only be structured interviews as main data collection tools. The data achieved with a decisive consideration of numerous factors, which analysis was performed through Statistical Package for Social include but not limited to; government consistency in the Scientists (SPSS) for quantitative and content analysis for disbursement of funds and beneficiary participation in the sectors qualitative data. The sample size of the study was 109 respondents in question. Therefore, the study recommended that more civic residing in Rufunsa Constituency, who comprised three (3) education is needed to local communities to enable them make respondents (community members) from each of the ten (10) informed decisions and be actively involved in the entire process health facilities and ten (10) schools of the three (3) wards as of the community projects. Furthermore, there is need for beneficiaries; ten (10) health facility administrators; ten (10) government’s consistency in funding constituencies, the amount school administrators, ten (10) health staff and ten (10) teaching of CDF allocated to each constituency should be increased to staff. From the civic side, there were one (1) Member of adequately improve the health care and education service delivery Parliament (MP), three (3) ward councillors and five (5) CDF by taking into account factors such as size of the constituency committee members. The study revealed that Government has not (geographical / demographic); levels of poverty; and the levels of been consistent in the disbursement of funds as most of the school development required in such constituencies. and health facilities under study had not received CDF funding in the past five years. Factually, for the period under review, the Index Terms- Assessment, Constituency Development Fund, constituency as a whole received only twice (total of K2, Impact, Education & Health Sectors. 150,000.00) out of five times (K7,000,000.00) from 2016 to 2020 thereby robbing the constituency of over K4,850,000 deserved development fund. Besides, local communities and stakeholders I. INTRODUCTION were generally not involved in project identification, preparation, he world at large deem education and health sectors to be implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes in the health T primarily basic human rights and the basis upon which to and education sectors as they were not knowledgeable and unware build peace, harmony, national progress and sustainable of CDF channels, sources, quantity and frequency of development (UNESCO, 2018). Todaro and Smith (2015) also disbursement. Ultimately, the study findings demonstrated that stress that health and education are very important in fostering CDF in Rufunsa has not played a significant role in health and socio-economic development in both developed and developing education services delivery as poverty levels, illiteracy, mortality countries. They are important ends in themselves (Todaro & rates, inequalities and underdevelopment levels were still on the Smith, 2015: 359). Education specifically provides people with high side. Medical equipment, ambulance services, mortuary skills and competencies that allow individuals to perform facilities, health centres, classrooms, computers, reading productive roles; more literate and skilled labour force is likely to materials, health and teaching staff were acutely in short supply. yield more returns on investment. Health care on the other hand, This publication is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY. http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.10.08.2020.p104110 www.ijsrp.org International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 10, Issue 8, August 2020 887 ISSN 2250-3153 makes the people sound both in mind and body as they undertake tool to initiate projects in different sectors aimed at reducing what education provides. Thus both health and education promote poverty levels as well as improving rural lives (MoLGH, 2006). social development and have strong links to poverty reduction This endeavour of improving efficiency and utilization in health especially in rural settings (Todaro, 2011: 359, UNESCO, 1997). and education facilities and service delivery was to be carried out United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESC) further in partnership with faith-based organisations and Non- illustrates that development in general aims at changing social Governmental Organisations like the UNISAFE, Churches Health structures, popular attitudes, and national institutions; the Association of Zambia, World Vision amongst many others which acceleration of economic growth, reduction of inequality as well are supporting health and education service delivery in the as the eradication of poverty (UNESC, 2018). This profound constituency with over 51,000 human population. In the health conception is equally posited and heralded by the Southern Africa sector, part of CDF is intended to help in building health centres Development Community (SADC) – a regional body to which or posts, maternity wards, mortuaries, mothers’ shelters among Zambia subscribes. However, poverty and underdevelopment in others while in the education sector CDF is expected to help make most less developed countries have remained to be the major accessible and available educational infrastructure like physical resounding threats to the effective and efficacious educational facilities, sanitation blocks, science and computer operationalization of these two social-based sectors despite their laboratories, classroom blocks and classrooms as well as libraries. significance. Poverty is multidimensional and includes factors Although such infrastructure and facilities aforesaid are said to other than income (factors like education, health, politics, and have been constructed or put in place, anecdotal evidence indicate society, vulnerability which ultimately lead to poverty). While that they have not all been funded by CDF and that the poverty affects people in different ways, for sustainable improvements (if any) in the lives of people cannot be attributed development to be present, on the other hand, it requires meeting to CDF. Over and above, the number of health and educational people’s basic needs and fulfilling any opportunity of every facilities available are far less than the demand of the population aspiration for a better life especially for the rural people (Olinto & as beneficiaries despite the annualised disbursements of the fund Uematsu, 2010). for such community-based developmental projects. Since the In the light of the foregoing and in order to address the enactment of the CDF fund in 2005, no systematic and organised question of rural development and rural poverty, African countries studies have been done to thoroughly investigate the phenomena have continuously emphasized on the role of health and education in the subject matter area to which relevance this empirical study as a means to social and economic development. For rural will be. development to meet sustainable development, it requires special resources and institutions such as health and educational facilities 1.2. Study Objectives that will fulfil people’s aspirations for a better life. In the process (i) To assess central government’s consistency in disbursing of making these institutions present and functional, rural people CDF to Rufunsa constituency