Influence of Headteachers’ Related Factors on Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Performance in Public Primary Schools in Bondo Subcounty, Kenya

Abstract

Learners living with physical disabilities need a lot of support from education stakeholders. Their academic achievements vary in schools depending on morale, material and financial support given. These are factors that need attention from head teachers’ as supervisors of curriculum implementation in schools. Thus, this study sought to determine the head teachers’ related factors influencing academic performance of learners with physical disabilities at Kenya Certificate for Primary Education in Bondo sub-county, Kenya. The objectives of this study were to investigate how head teachers’ classroom lesson observation, engagement in conferences with teachers, provision of physical facilities, and provision of instructional materials influence the performance of learners living with physical disabilities. This study was guided by the systems theory. The study employed descriptive survey research design. This study used questionnaires as data collection instrument. Two sets of questionnaires were used to collect data from head teachers and teachers. The questionnaires were tested for reliability in a pilot study and results were found at Cronbach coefficient Alpha value of r = 0.991 & r = 0.79 respectively. Questionnaires were administered to 104 teachers and 52 heads teachers giving a total of 156 respondents. Purposive sampling technique was used to select teachers while all head teachers participated in the study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23. The study findings indicate that headteachers’ classroom lesson observation positively influence performance of learners with physical disabilities in public primary schools and through engagement in conferences with teachers, headteachers are able to help teachers identify and mitigate challenges affecting academic performance of learners with physical disabilities. Similarly, the study found that provision of physical facilities and instructional materials positively influence the performance of learners living with physical disabilities. It was recommended that the government, through Ministry of Education, should increase budgetary allocation to public primary schools for effective provision of physical facilities and instructional resources