The Effect of Public Budget Accountability on Operational Efficiency Of Public Universities in South Sudan
Loading...
Date
2025-11
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Academic Journal of Economics and Finance (IAJEF)
Abstract
Public universities in South Sudan are
essential to national progress, driving
innovation, human capital development,
and societal transformation. However,
since independence in 2011, they have
faced persistent inefficiencies that hinder
their core mandates. This scholarly inquiry
examined the influence of public budget
accountability on the operational efficiency
of public universities in South Sudan. It
assessed the effect of accountability
structure. Grounded in new public
management theory, the study embraced a
pragmatist philosophy and employed a
triangulated methodology, drawing upon
both qualitative and quantitative data.
Information was gathered from five
financial controllers representing all public
universities through a census approach,
utilizing structured questionnaires,
interviews, and institutional records from
the 2022–2023 fiscal year. Analytical
techniques included descriptive statistics,
correlation analysis, and simple regression.
The findings revealed that public budget
accountability exerted a statistically
significant and positive effect on
operational efficiency (p < 0.05), and the
final model demonstrated strong
explanatory power (Adjusted R² = 0.923).
The study concludes that effective budget
practices, significantly enhance public
university performance, advocating a
governance model where ethical
stewardship and technical precision
converge. Recommendations include
institutionalizing budget transparency
through open-book practices, reinforcing
accountability via performance-linked
audits, optimizing control systems with
real-time monitoring. Theoretically, the
research advances the literature on public
financial management into models of
institutional performance. Empirically, it
offers nuanced insights from a fragile and
hitherto under-examined context.
Methodologically, it contributes through
the deployment of triangulated data
collection. The study’s implications for
public sector governance are profound,
advocating for strengthened budgetary
practices to bolster operational outcomes
within higher education institutions in post
conflict settings such as South Sudan
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Citation
Abiel, P., Warui, F., Musau, S. (2025). The effect of public budget accountability on operational efficiency of public universities in South Sudan. International Academic Journal of Economics and Finance (IAJEF) | ISSN 2518-2366, 5(1), 451-469.