SUBSIDY TIMELINESS AND FINANCIAL STABILITY OF CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN BUTEMBO SUB-PROVINCIAL COORDINATION, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

This study examined the relationship between subsidy timeliness and the financial stability of Catholic primary schools operating under the Butembo Sub-Provincial Coordination, Democratic Republic of Congo, a fragile setting where, since 2019, the government’s Fee-Free Basic Education policy places substantial responsibility for school financing on state subsidies. Anchored in Management Control Theory, the study adopted a positivist philosophy and a quantitative cross-sectional survey design. Structured questionnaires were administered to 151 head teachers, of whom 150 provided usable responses, and were supplemented by secondary financial records from 114 schools for triangulation. Subsidy timeliness was measured through eight Likert-scale items capturing disbursement punctuality and schedule compliance, while financial stability was measured through eight items operational zing cash-flow adequacy. Descriptive results showed moderate and uneven subsidy timeliness (M = 2.65, SD = 0.89). Subsidy timeliness was statistically significant, controlling for subsidy adequacy, utilization and accountability, in an HC3-robust regression model (β = .402, p < .001). Secondary financial records showed an average disbursement delay of 7.96 days. The findings indicated that punctuality and predictability of subsidy receipts were important for short-term school financial stability. The study recommended a transparent, term-based subsidy release calendar and systematic documentation of delays.