Mwirigi Humphrey Gitonga2026-06-122026-06-122024Mwirigi, H. G. (2024). Principals’ strategic performance management practices and students’ performance in KCSE in public secondary schools in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya [Master's Thesis, Chuka University].https://repository.chuka.ac.ke/handle/123456789/22993A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate School in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Education in Educational Management of Chuka University Supervisors:Dr. Peter Kimanthi Mbaka, Dr. Mercy Nkinga Kariuki,Kenyan students consistently do poorly on national exams, even with significant investments in the country's educational system. To enhance student results, some educational changes have been put into place, such as the introduction of strategic performance management (SPM). On the other hand, there is a dearth of information in the literature about how these management techniques actually affect students' performance on national exams, especially in Kenyan secondary schools. Strategic performance management practices are difficult to adopt, and many school principals find it difficult to carry out their plans efficiently. Thus, the goal of this research was to ascertain how the strategic performance management practices of the principals affected the academic performance of their Kenya Certificate Secondary Education (KCSE) students in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. Researchers used correlational research methodologies and descriptive surveys to determine how strategic performance management affected students' academic achievement. A straightforward random sampling method was used to choose 294 study participants. A schedule of interviews was created for SCQASO, and study materials included questionnaires for department heads and principals. Before being used, the tools underwent validity and reliability assessments. Prior to administering the instrument, validity of the face, content, and constructs were determined. Using data from a pilot study in Meru County, reliability was calculated using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Reliability values of 0.863 and 0.785 were found for the questionnaires of principals and head of departments, respectively, indicating an acceptable reliability threshold. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 software was used to clean, code, and analyze quantitative data both descriptively and inferentially. Standard deviation, averages, percentages, and frequencies were among the descriptive metrics utilized. Data was analyzed using inferential statistics, such as Chi-square, to ascertain the association between students' performance in the KCSE and the strategic performance management techniques utilized by principals. The study's conclusions demonstrated that schools in Tharaka Nithi County had a formal strategic performance management system with a clearly defined vision, mission, and goals and objectives. However, principals only partially implemented these practices as cornerstones in their schools, and there was a correlation between student performance in the KCSE and strategic performance management practices. Other obstacles to the implementation of strategic performance management systems in schools included teachers' and principals' skepticism, a lack of funding, unclear roles, and poor communication. The study's conclusions and suggestions will advance our understanding of how principals' strategic performance management practices affect students' results on national exams. Administrators, planners, and policy makers in the education sector may find the study's findings helpful in devising strategies for improving students' performance through strategic performance management techniques.entrategic performance managementprincipalsstudents’ academic performanceKCSE performancepublic secondary schoolseducational managementschool leadershipacademic achievementstrategic planningTharaka Nithi CountyThesis