Educational Management

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    EFFECT OF CONTAINMENT MEASURES OF COVID-19 ON INTERNAL EFFICIENCY OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MACHAKOS COUNTY, KENYA
    (Chuka University, 2023-10) MICHENI STEVE MUTHOMI
    Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak affected educational systems worldwide, leading to widespread and lengthy closures of educational institutions. The containment measures of COVID-19 put in place interrupted learning, nutrition, and equal access to digital learning portals and led to rising cases of child labour, drug and substance abuse, and teenage pregnancies. It also exacerbated previously existing inequalities among learners from different backgrounds. All this impacted the internal efficiency of education. Focus on Internal efficiency of education endeavors to ensure optimal utilization of scarce resources. Nevertheless, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya, the government instituted containment measures for COVID-19 to curb the rapid spread of the virus. Empirical data on the effect of these containment measures on the internal efficiency of public secondary schools remains largely unknown. This study aimed to establish the effect of containment measures for COVID- 19 on the internal efficiency of secondary schools in Machakos County, Kenya. The study was guided by the Classical Liberal Theory of Equal Opportunities and the Production Function Theory. Descriptive and correlational research designs were adopted. The population for the study was 93,204 respondents comprising 296 principals, 5,920 teachers, 86,979 students, One County Quality and Standards officer (CQASO), and Eight Sub-County quality and Standards Officers (SCQASO). Proportionate and simple random sampling were used to obtain 382 respondents, including 195 students and 89 teachers. Also sampled purposively were 89 principals, one CQASO, and eight SCQASOs. Study instruments included questionnaires for principals, teachers, and students, while an interview schedule was designed for CQASO and SCQASO. The tools were subjected to reliability and validity tests before use. Face, content, and construct validity were ascertained before administering the instrument. Reliability was computed using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient on the data obtained from a pilot study in Kitui County, reliability coefficients of 0.726,0.924 and 0.799 obtained for principals, teachers and students questionnaires respectively ascertained an acceptable reliability threshold. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Quantitative data was cleaned, coded, and analyzed descriptively and inferentially using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 computer software. The descriptive used included frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviation. Hypotheses were tested using simple linear regression statistics at α = 0.05 significance level. The study's findings established containment measures for COVID- 19 affected participation, retention, management of resources, and learning outcomes in public secondary schools in Machakos County. The study recommends the establishment of computer studies as a core subject to equip learners with technological know-how for use in case of disrupted learning leading to the abrupt closure of schools. Ministry of ICT in Collaboration with the Ministry of Education to supply computers to schools and ensure country-wide network coverage. Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services to build and equip community learning centers incorporating digital technology in every location to ensure equal access by all learners to learning materials irrespective of their background. TSC to increase the capacity of school principals in resource management during disease pandemics, natural disasters, or human conflict. The findings and recommendations will contribute to new knowledge on effect of containment measures of infectious diseases on internal efficiency of secondary schools that will help the education policy makers and educational planners on how best to respond in times of pandemic, natural disaster or human conflict without exacerbating inefficiency.
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    DELOCALIZED PRINCIPALS’ TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP, PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND INSTITUTIONAL PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN LOWER EASTERN REGION, KENYA
    (Chuka University, 2023-10) MUTUNGA STANLEY MAWIRA
    In Kenya, Principal’s leadership greatly predicts institutional performance. They are responsible for the overall management of their institutions. A majority of schools continue to report management challenges resulting in poor performance. The teachers’ employer, the Teachers Service Commission introduced the policy of delocalization of school Principals with the aim of improving institutional management and ultimately performance. However, data that could help illustrate the extents to which implementation of the policy has contributed to improved institutional management and ultimately performance remained limited. This study therefore sought to contribute in bridging the existing research gap by establishing the relationship between delocalized principals’ transformational leadership, personal characteristics and institutional performance among public secondary schools in lower Eastern region of Kenya. The study adopted transformational leadership theory, path-goal theory and contingency theories. A descriptive survey and correlational research designs were utilized. Multistage sampling was used to select 144 principals, 144 senior teachers and 6 educational officials from 1086 subjects comprising of 540 delocalized principals, 540 senior teachers, 3 County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers and 3 Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association Chairpersons. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data. The instruments were pre-tested in Embu County and results obtained used to estimate reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha and Exploratory Factor Analysis, where a coefficient of 0.785 and a KMO of 0.778 were taken and deemed acceptable. Validity of the instruments was ascertained through face, content and construct validity techniques. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically while quantitative data was cleaned coded and analyzed descriptively and inferentially with the aid of the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences program version 26.0 computer software. Frequency and percentages were used to describe the existing relationship between the variables while hypothesis were tested using simple and multiple regression analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The study established that there is a positive and significant relationship between transformational leadership and institutional performance. Findings also established that principal’s experience partially mediates while type of school moderates the relationship between transformational leadership and institutional performance. It is therefore recommended that TSC should formulate and implement best practices of delocalization to enable education stakeholders reap its inherent benefits. Ministry of Education should organize training workshops for principals on best practices for implementation of transformational leadership.
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    PREPAREDNESS OF PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETENCE-BASED CURRICULUM IN MERU SOUTH SUB-COUNTY, THARAKA NITHI COUNTY, KENYA
    (Chuka University, 2023-10) KABURU KAWIRA LENITY
    The study purposed to assess the preparedness of public primary schools for the implementation of Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) in Meru South Sub-County, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The study investigated teachers’ level of preparedness, parental preparedness, school instructional materials preparedness and school infrastructural resources preparedness for CBC implementation in public primary schools. Descriptive research survey design was adopted for the study. The target population was 33, 139 subjects. The sample size for the study was arrived at using Krejcie & Morgan (1970) table for sample estimation where a population of 33,139 gave 380 respondents who comprised of 70 head teachers, one Curriculum Support Officer, 294 teachers and 15 parents. Simple random sampling was used to choose the schools to be sampled and the head teachers in those schools were selected for the study. The teachers to be sampled were chosen using random sampling while parents were chosen using snow ball sampling method. Piloting was done in Maara sub-county in schools with the same characteristics as the sampled ones. The study findings were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Data analysis and interpretation was done using SPSS version 26 and data presentation was done using tables and bar graphs. Testing of the null hypothesis was done using Chi-square at α = 0.05 significance level. The study findings established that; there is inadequate preparation of teachers for CBC implementation, that there is inadequate parental preparedness for CBC implementation and that the school instructional materials and school infrastructural resources are inadequate for CBC implementation. From the study findings the recommendations made were; that the Ministry of Education should offer more training opportunities to teachers, that parents need to be more sensitized on their roles as per the expectations of CBC for its successful implementation, the government should ensure that the instructional materials and infrastructural resources in public primary schools are adequate for CBC implementation. The findings of this study may be helpful to the Kenyan institutions to sensitize them on areas to focus on that will lead to successful CBC implementation. The Kenya Institute of curriculum Development (KICD) may find the study findings relevant and may provide adequate instructional and infrastructural resources in schools. Parents may be sensitized by the findings of the study about their roles as per the expectations of CBC.
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    INFLUENCE OF STUDENTS’ COUNCIL LEADERSHIP SKILLS ON MANAGEMENT OF DISCIPLINE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MBEERE SOUTH SUB-COUNTY, EMBU COUNTY, KENYA
    (Chuka University, 2023-10) SIMBA JOHN KARIUKI
    Management of students’ discipline is a critical component in attainment of positive outcomes in schools. In an effort to manage students’ discipline, Government of Kenya (GoK) introduced the following strategies; democratic election of students leaders, presentation of undisciplined students before court of law, presentation of indiscipline students to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and strengthening of guidance and counseling (G&C) departments in schools. However, cases of indiscipline have continued to be reported in schools. The study sought to determine the influence of students’ council leadership skills: conflict resolution, peer mentoring, decision-making and communication on management of discipline in public secondary schools in Mbeere South Sub-County, Embu County, Kenya. The study had four objectives. Four hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study used correlational research design. Stratified random sampling was used to select 18 schools from the target population of 53 public secondary schools. The deputy principals were purposively selected while students’ council leaders were proportionately and randomly sampled from the sample frame such that larger proportions of the sample were drawn from the schools that had more students’ council leaders. The sample size was 272 comprising 22 deputy principals and 250 students’ council leaders. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the students’ council leaders and deputy principals. The instruments were piloted in four secondary schools purposively selected in Mbeere North Sub-County. The researcher used Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient method to estimate the reliability of the research instruments and correlation coefficient value of at least 0.70 and above was considered appropriate. In this study reliability of students’ council leaders’ questionnaire was 0.848 while that of deputy principals was 0.924. The researcher ascertained validity of the instruments by presenting them to experts in the Department of Education. Quantitative data gathered was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Descriptive data analysis was presented in form of mean, standard deviation, percentage and frequencies. The hypotheses were tested using linear regression model. The study established that students’ council leaders’ skills of conflict resolution, peer mentoring, decision-making and communication influenced management of discipline in public secondary schools. The study recommended: allocation of funds to students’ council activities in schools’ annual budget; evaluation of students’ councils inputs in management of schools; design and development of curriculum on leadership skills; performance appraisal for students’ council leaders; monitoring of students’ council’s activities by Ministry of Education (MoE). It is hoped that the findings will be significant to school principals, teachers, students’ council leaders and educational policy makers in coming up with strategies to manage students’ discipline. The findings also provide additional literature on the management of students’ discipline in secondary schools in Kenya. The findings may also influence the practices of school administrations in management of students’ discipline.
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    Challenges in Management of Pupils Discipline in Public Primary Schools of Imenti South Sub County, Meru County, Kenya
    (Chuka University, 2019-09) Kiende, Gikunda Doreen
    Management is a system of working with individuals for the purpose of achieving the required goal, mission or strategic objectives of an organization. Management is widely acknowledged to be essential for creating a peaceful school climate thus leading to sound academic performance. Management of pupils discipline in primary schools remains a concern to the school administrators and other stakeholders because without discipline the school activities may not run smoothly hence affecting effective teaching and learning. There is growing concern from educators and other stakeholders that the poor results in Imenti South Sub County could be attributed to discipline. The purpose of this study was to determine the challenges in management of pupils discipline in public primary schools of Imenti South Sub County, Meru County, Kenya. The study aimed at determining the school based challenges, home based challenges and cultural based challenges faced in management of pupils discipline in public primary schools of Imenti South Sub-County. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. The study was conducted in public primary schools in Imenti South Sub-County, Meru County. The sub-county had 122 primary schools in total, with a target population of 1,291 subjects comprising of 1,288 teachers and 3 Curriculum Supporting Officers. Simple random sampling was used to sample schools in Imenti South Sub- County. The teachers were selected using simple random sampling method. Deputy Head teachers, Head teachers and Curriculum Support Officers were selected by use of purposive sampling. This enabled the researcher to realize a sample size of 303 respondents who were used for the study. The researcher used questionnaires and interview schedule for data collection. Piloting was carried out among 30 respondents in the neighboring Imenti Central Sub-County. The validity of instruments was ensured through the expert judgment from the university supervisors. Cronbach‟s coefficient Alpha was applied to access reliability and the study had an Alpha value of 0.772 indicating adequate convergence or internal consistency. Data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. Descriptive statistics which included frequencies and percentages were used to analyze quantitative data. The results were presented using charts and tables. The study revealed that inadequate guidance and counseling infrastructure, teacher competence and abolition of corporal punishment posed a challenge in management of discipline in a large extent. Results also indicated that unfriendly home environment, lack of provision of basic needs and parents use of alcohol posed a challenge in management of pupils discipline in a great extent. The study concludes that the environment the pupils grow in is very important in molding a disciplined pupil. Lack of a positive environment was a major cause of disciplinary problems. The researcher recommends that Guidance and counseling in schools to be enhanced and parents to be sensitized on how to create positive environment and also be educated on their parental role to minimize cases of indiscipline. The findings of this study shall be useful to the policy makers and other stakeholders of education on the priority areas of challenges and address such challenges for effective management of pupils discipline.