Institutional Factors Influencing Principals’ Instructional Supervision in Public Secondary Schools in Nyando Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the institutional elements that impact the instructional supervision practices of principals in public secondary schools located in Nyando Sub-county, inside Kisumu County, Kenya. The study was guided by four objectives. These objectives were: (1) to investigate the impact of school size on principals' instructional supervision in public secondary schools in Nyando Sub-county, (2) to assess the influence of principals' level of training on instructional supervision, (3) to examine the relationship between teachers' attitudes and principals' instructional supervision, and (4) to determine the influence of principals' workload on instructional supervision in public secondary schools in Nyando Sub-county. The research design employed in this study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey. The study's target population comprised 42 principals, 210 heads of departments, and 968 subject teachers in Nyando sub-county, Kenya. The researchers employed a stratified sample technique to select the schools for the study, while the respondents were chosen using a basic random technique. The researchers employed questionnaires as study instruments to gather data from department heads and subject instructors, while an interview guide was utilized to obtain data from principals. The data was subjected to descriptive statistics in order to assess and establish comparisons among the variables of interest. The research findings indicated that the size of the school had a significant impact on instructional supervision in public secondary schools within Nyando Sub County. Specifically, 64 percent of the instructors and 50.8 percent of the Heads of department acknowledged this influence. Seventy percent of the respondents indicated that the degree of training of principals has a significant impact on instructional supervision. Furthermore, the survey results indicated that the instructional supervision process was significantly influenced by the attitude of teachers, as reported by 72 percent of the participants. The majority of respondents, specifically 56.9 percent, indicated that workload had a significant impact on instructional supervision. According to the findings of the study, the conclusion can be summarized as follows: a) Principals in public secondary schools in Nyando Sub County have a significant impact on instructional supervision. b) The size of the school has a considerable influence on the principal's oversight of instructional material distribution (UNESCO, 2016). The impact of administrators' supervision on school performance is largely influenced by the attitude of teachers, as stated in the Innovation for Students Learning report (2018). This influence can be either positive or negative. The study's recommendations were formulated on the basis of its results, which encompassed the following: The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Teachers Service Commission, should prioritize the assignment of sufficient administrators to schools experiencing high student enrollments, in order to provide effective instructional oversight. It is imperative to raise awareness among educators regarding the significance of classroom observation and feedback provided by their superiors. It is imperative that principals receive comprehensive training in their capacity as instructional supervisors. Additional research is warranted to ascertain the external variables that impact the instructional supervision practices of principals in public secondary schools within Nyando sub county.