4 research outputs found
An Evaluation of Learning Environment in Predicting Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Kenya
No full textIn the global context, education stands as a vital
driver of progress impacting individuals and communities.
This study sought to evaluate the impact of learning
environment on academic performance of secondary
school students in Kenya. The article is an excerpt from a
research project conducted within public secondary
schools in Katulani Sub-County, Kenya. The study utilized
a descriptive survey research design and drew its
theoretical framework from Robert House’s Path-goal
Theory of Leadership. The sample size was 91 participants
comprising 73 teachers selected through stratified and
simple random sampling techniques and 18 principals
chosen purposively. Questionnaires for teachers and for
principals were used to gather data which underwent
analysis utilizing both descriptive and inferential statistics
with the support of SPSS. The outcomes demonstrated a
strong positive correlation between an enabling learning
atmosphere and the academic achievement of students.
Based on these results, the research concluded that the
principals’ fostering of positive learning environments
through encouraging teamwork among teachers,
maintaining open communication lines, ensuring wellbeing
of staff and students and providing adequate instructional
facilities results in higher students’ academic achievement.
It was recommended that principals need to encourage
teamwork among teachers around educational best
practices. Further, they should maintain open
communication with and among the staff and students. On
policy, the Ministry of Education should provide adequate
human, material and internet resources in schools to
enhance productive teacher-learner interaction. The study
findings could be utilized by principals to create conducive
learning environments in secondary schools to improve
students’ performance in academics
Academic Capacity Building for Teachers as a Determinant of Student's Performance in Public Secondary in Kenya
No full textEducation is an important ingredient in the progress and changes of countries the world over. The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of capacity building for teachers on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Kenya. The article is an extract from a study done in public secondary schools in the Yatta sub-county, Machakos County, Kenya. The study was guided by the instructional leadership model. This study adopted a descriptive research design, survey method. The study was conducted among 247 respondents comprising 19 principals and 228 teachers. The study employed stratified sampling techniques and simple random sampling techniques. Data collection was done using questionnaires for principals and for teachers. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed a strong positive correlation between the principal’s involvement in capacity building for teachers and students’ academic performance from the principal’s perspective. However, the results of the teacher’s questionnaires indicated a weak positive correlation between the principal’s involvement in capacity building for teachers and students’ academic performance. The study concludes that principals' capacity building for teachers positively influences the student’s academic performance. However, capacity building in most schools has not been implemented appropriately. It was; thus, suggested that all principals working in public secondary schools enhance capacity building for teachers to ensure that they are always motivated which will in turn help to improve the student’s academic performance. Capacity building should be done in consultation with the teachers for it to be effective. It should be a policy from the ministry of education that capacity building for teachers is improved in all public schools
Principals’ Management Styles and Students’ Unrest in Public Secondary Schools in Nairobi County, Kenya
No full textThis paper is just a sample template1* for the prospective authors of IISTE Over the decades, the concepts of holons and holonic systems have been adopted in many research fields, but they are scarcely attempted on labour planning. A literature gap exists, thus motivating the author to come up with a holonic model that uses exponential smoothing to forecast some quantitative The nature of students’ unrest in schools has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. These findings are based on a study conducted in 2009.The study sought to establish the management styles used by principals and their influence on students’ unrest in public secondary schools in Nairobi County.A descriptive research design was used. A sample of 15 principles, 60 class teachers and 600 students were selected using stratified, simple random and purposive sampling methods. Data were collected using questionnaires and interview guide. Inferential and descriptive statistics were used to analyze data. The studyfindings were that, there was no clear management style that was predominant in the schools surveyed. The findings also showed that;mock exams, diet, bullying, high handedness of principals, pressure from other schools, transfer of principals, lack of communication between students and the principals, poor facilities, and drug and substance abuse were common causes of students unrest. All the respondents indicated that; principal’s management style influences student’s unrest in secondary schools. Head teachers’ gender, qualifications, experience and age also influenced unrest in secondary schools. The study concludes that; principals use various styles in managing schools. The study recommends that school administrations need to enhance communication among various stakeholders in the school through dialogue. Key words; Management style, Principal, Students unrest, Count
Free and Compulsory Education Policy Implementation; Determining its Relationship with Learners' Entry Behavior in Public Day Secondary Schools in Kitui County, Kenya
No full textAlthough the Government of Kenya has been boosting effort in implementing free and compulsory education policy, transition from primary schools to secondary schools, retention and completion at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) have remained below 100 percent. Hence the study purposed to determine the relationship between learners’ entry behavior and implementation of free and compulsory education in public day secondary schools in Kitui County, Kenya. The study was underpinned on Liberal Educational Theory (LET) and used a descriptive study research design. The target population for the study was 655; 327 public day secondary school principals, 327 Parents Associations (PA) chairpersons of those schools and Kitui County Director of Education (CDE). Data were collected from a sample of 182 respondents; 164 principals, 17 (PA) chairpersons and the Kitui CDE. Data were collected by use of questionnaire for principals, interview schedules for CDE and PA chairpersons and document review analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed based on emerging themes, while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Hypothesis testing was done using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (Pr) method at a significance level of 0.05. The study findings showed that there was a negative and significant relationship between learners’ entry behavior and the implementation (transition, retention and completion) rates (r = -.678; p≤ .01). In view of the forestated results, the study made conclusion that the indirect relationship between the study variables negatively affected the implementation of free and compulsory education. On this basis, the study recommended, among others that secondary school principals should adhere to the policy of admitting candidates regardless of marks obtained at KCPE and promote learners to the next class regardless of performance in previous formative examinations. This, would enhance prospects of 100 % transition, retention and completion in public day secondary schools in Kitui County and Kenya in general
