Teachers’ perceptions on how selected school factors affect learning in pre-schools in Meru South District, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya (original) (raw)
Related papers
Pearl Research Journals, 2022
The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of teacher supervision on the quality of early childhood development and education. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The study targeted 97 ECDE Centres. A simple random sampling technique and a purposive sampling technique were used to select the respondents. Data was collected using a questionnaire and interview guide. The reliability of the instruments was estimated at 0.83 by the use of Cronbach's Alpha Correlation Coefficient. The hypothesis was tested at alpha α = 0.05 using Chi-square model and simple linear regression. Qualitative data analysis from the interviews was categorized according to the themes based the on research hypothesis. Descriptive such as mean, standard deviation, percentages and frequencies was also used. The findings of the study revealed tha the decentralized teacher supervision function has a significant influence on the quality of ECDE in Nyamira South Subcounty of Nyamira County, Kenya with chi square value χ 2 = 42.655 and P< 0.00 with 11.4% variation. The study recommended that decentralized government should ensure regular supervision of ECDE teaching and learning to improve the transition and participation rate and competence achievement among ECDE learners.
Characteristics of Head Teachers in Management of School Facilities in Kenya
This paper discusses the characteristics of head teachers in management of school facilities in Kenya. The objective was: to determine the characteristics of head teachers in management of school facilities. The research employed descriptive survey design. The research instrument used was a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics technique was used to analyze the data. Then the data was presented in tables. Conclusions: Age is an important factor in school administration as it influences the authority and experiences of the head teacher; higher levels of education correlate with levels of productivity; qualification and experience enhance the head teachers' expert power, credibility, confidence and decisiveness in managerial practice; head teachers' administration and experience play a pivotal role in determining their attitudes and approaches as well as their problem solving techniques in their schools and participation in in-service training makes head teachers more effective and efficient in management. Recommendations: The Kenya Education Management Institute should organize in-service training programmes targeting head teachers' management; the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology should provide adequate funding to enable the head teachers to participate in the in-service training programmes; also the ministry should reinforce the existing policies laws and enactments to enhance gender equity and the head teachers should be encouraged to continue upgrading their education level and professional qualification to enhance their knowledge, skills, attitudes and competencies in management and head teachers need to have Masters level expertise if they are to lead their schools and help their teachers become fully proficient.
2018
In Kenya, the County governments, through the county education boards are tasked with the responsibility of overseeing the operation and management of Pre-primary education programs. Despite the growing importance of Early Childhood Education programme, there is lack of schemes of service for ECDE teachers, low and irregular remuneration of preschool teachers thus adversely affecting the morale of these teachers. Teacher qualification is instrumental for quality learning, not only in pre-primary education but also in other levels. The study sought to examine the level of expertise of the staff implementing the policy on the management of public ECDE centers in Elgeyo-Marakwet County. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design and anchored on systems theory. The target population for this study comprised ECDE officials, all the head-teachers and teachers in all the public ECDE's in Elgeyo-Marakwet County. The study used stratified sampling to stratify Elgeyo-Marakwet County into sub-counties that form 155 ECDE schools from Keiyo North, 144 ECDE schools from Keiyo south, 118 ECDE schools from Marakwet East and 156 ECDE schools from Marakwet West. Simple random sampling was used to select the respondents for the study from the strata. Thus, 344 ECDE teachers and 172 head teachers participated in the study. The 5 ECDE officials were purposely included in the study sample. Data collection was done using a combination of sets of questionnaire, interview guides and checklists. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Chi-square test was used to find the relationship between the variables investigated. Data was presented using tables. The study established that majority of ECDE teachers had attained diploma qualification with a few who had attained master's degree. Majority (67.4%) of the respondents said that there was no implementation policy on level of expertise in the policy. Similarly, the study established that there existed a relationship between the level of expertise of the staff in implementing policies and the management of public ECDE centers in Elgeyo-Marakwet County government(χ2=762.066, df=45 and sig=0.001). The study recommends on the need for individual and collective efforts on the part of teachers to keep themselves abreast of any new development regarding pedagogy and any relevant aspects of teaching and learning so as to remain relevant in their career. This can be done by way of professional development through in servicing.
Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies
Aims: Education is the foundation and pillar of life. The study assessed the influence of Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI’s) capacity building programme on head teachers' competencies in teacher supervision in public primary schools in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Study Design: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in Uasin Gishu County of North Rift region between January and March 2018. Methodology: It targeted six Sub-County Education Officers and 471 head teachers in public primary schools in the County. Simple random sampling was used to select 30% (141) of the public primary schools proportionately from each of the six sub-counties in the County. All the head teachers of the public primary schools selected participated in the study. Data was also collected from all the six Sub-County Directors of Education of Moiben, Wareng, Turbo, Kapseret, Ainabkoi and Soy. Data was collected using interview...
Developing Country Studies, 2014
The thrust of this study was to examine the constraints experienced by headteachers in primary schools in Chogoria Division, Meru County, Kenya. A survey research design of the exploratory sub-type was adopted. Combinations of purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were used to draw a sample of 30 teachers out of an accessible population of 42 to participate in the study. The main research instrument for data collection was an in-depth interview guide which was used to collect qualitative data. Interview transcription and thematic analysis was applied to analyse the qualitative data from in-depth interviews. The major finding was that although the headteachers had appropriate academic qualifications, they experienced myriad of intertwined challenges that gravitated around lack of intrinsic leadership acumen, lack of skills in curriculum and instruction, as well as inefficient human, physical and financial management. As a result, there was no collegial interrelationship among various key stakeholders in education leading to low quality school outcomes in terms of student discipline and academic performance in internal and national examinations. It was recommended that the Government of Kenya through the Kenya Education Staff Institute (KEMI) should intensify the professional training of Headteachers and members of School Management Committees in school leadership, particularly in resource acquisition and management technique [210 words].
2019
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the head teacher‘s supervisory role on the performance of public primary school teachers in Kuje Area Council. Specifically the study sought to assess whether the head teachers’ classroom observation influenced teachers’ job performance; to determine the extent to which the head teachers’ provision of instructional resources influence teachers’ job performance; to establish whether the head teachers’ checking of teachers professional records influence teachers’ job performance and to establish the extent to which teachers’ professional development by the head teacher influence teachers’ job performance in primary school in Kuje Area Council. This study employed a descriptive survey design. Targeted population comprised of 505 respondents out of which 10 head teachers and 100 teachers were purposive and randomly selected respectively. Data was collected using two types of questionnaires which were distributed to the head teachers and the teachers respectively and an interview scheduled to the teachers. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively using frequencies and percentages for demographic information and mean and standard deviation for research questions. The study revealed that teachers’ job performance was attributed to combination of the independent factors that related to head teachers’ supervisory role (Classroom observation, provision of instructional resources, checking teachers’ professional records and teachers’ professional development). The study concluded that head teachers who consistently conduct lesson observation and held model teaching sessions with teachers, significantly influenced teacher performance and hence students’ performance. Based on the findings, researcher recommended that Universal Basic Education (UBE) and Local Education Authority (LEA) should emphasizes on the regular monitoring of professional documents by the head teachers including schemes of work, lesson plans, lesson notes and class registers and Education secretariat should reinforce supervision-based training, refresher courses, seminars and workshops for head teachers to update them on the latest practices in supervisory role.
African Journal of Empirical Research, 2023
With the promulgation of the Kenya Constitution in 2010, the responsibility of Early Year's Education (EYE) was delegated to county governments. This study, therefore, sought to find out the role of school administrators in the implementation of early childhood education programs in Khwisero sub-county, Kenya. The study used contextual interaction and supervision theories. The study employed a cross-sectional survey research design. The population of this study consisted of 61 schools from the sub-county, 61 EYE teachers in charge, 61 head teachers, 67 assistant teachers, 61 parent representatives, 1 program officer, and 4 ward representatives from Khwisero Sub-County. From the results of the piloting, Cronbach reliability revealed that all constructs had a coefficient above 0.7, indicating that the instrument was reliable. Stratified random sampling was used in the selection of 10 schools, from which purposive sampling was used to select 10 head teachers, 10 teachers in charge, 1 program officer, and 4 ward representatives, while random sampling was used to select 50 assistant teachers. Instruments that were used to collect data were questionnaires and interview guides. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20, and the findings were presented in the form of frequency tables, bar graphs, and pie charts. From the findings, there was a moderately positive and significant correlation between the role of administrators in teacher supervision and program implementation (r =0.542, p<.05). This implies that the role of administrators enhanced program implementation among ECDE schools in schools in Khwisero Sub County in Kakamega. Therefore, it can be concluded that school administrators' role has a positive effect on the implementation of programs in these schools. Under program and instruction, the respondents noted that they concentrated on ensuring that teachers were following the laid-out program. Under schemes of work, the respondents noted that they observed the time the schemes were prepared. On the issue of records of work covered, the respondents noted that they look at how teachers keep and update their records. On teaching and learning facilities, the respondents noted that they check how teachers handle teaching aids. Teacher supervision practices were effective. In addition, school administrators had many roles in teacher supervision. The study concluded that school administrators have a big role to play in schools and therefore recommended that they should be supported to accomplish their role. Future research is to be done in other sub-counties to compare the findings.
Students’ academic performance at all levels of education has attracted great concerns from many stakeholders all over. The purpose of this Ex-post facto research was to examine Principals Instructional Supervision Strategies on Students’ Performance at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in Kuria West-Migori County, Kenya. Four research objectives were used to investigate and determine the extent to which principals in Kuria West Sub County undertook instructional supervision: checking of teachers’ professional documents, classroom visitation, setting academic targets, pre and post observation conferences. The researcher adopted an ex-post facto research design in which the target populations were 35 principals from 35 public secondary schools, 382 teachers employed by Teachers Service Commission and 2,010 form four students in Kuria West Sub County. Thirty principals (86%), 102 teachers (27%) and 200 form four students (10%) were purposively and simple randomly selected to form the sample size which participated in the study. Three sets of questionnaires were designed and administered: Principal’s Instructional Supervision Strategies Questionnaire (PISSQ), Questionnaire for Teachers on Principal’s Instructional Supervision Strategies (QTPISS) and Questionnaire for Students on Principal’s Instructional Supervision Strategies (QSPISS). The instruments content validity was assessed by the two supervisors and enhanced through pilot testing while the instruments reliability was established through a test retest method where a reliability coefficient was computed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed using a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the findings were analyzed into themes and presented in form of frequency and percentage tables and pie-charts. The study established that principals’ practice of checking teachers’ professional documents significantly influenced students’ performance by 42.8 percent. The study revealed that classroom visitation and observation by principals significantly influenced students’ performance by 47.3 percent. The study findings confirmed that principals regular setting of schools’ academic targets significantly influenced schools’ performance by 56.7 percent. The study further, found out that principals who organized for pre-lesson observation meetings; conducted teachers’ lesson observation on termly basis; organized for post-lesson observation meetings and communicated lesson observation feedback verbally significantly influenced students’ performance by 40 percent. The schools’ KCSE performance indices indicated that most (40%) were at 3.5 to 4.4 due to low level performance of principals’ instructional supervision in Kuria West Sub County. The study concluded that instructional supervision had significant influence on students’ performance at KCSE by 42.9 percent and needed to be strengthened more. Consequently, the study recommended that DQAS, KEMI and TSC to enhance principals’ capacity building on instructional supervision; employment of more teachers for effective instructional delivery and Boards of Management to initiate motivational strategies for both teachers and students.