Headteachers' characteristics and their influence on their instructional supervision in public primary schools in Igonji Division Imenti South District, Meru Kenya

Abstract

The education system in Kenya is examination oriented. The quality of education is seen in terms of the number of students passing national examinations (Eshiwani, 1993). The organizational management of schools greatly influences student academic outcomes. Rutter et al, (1979) and Wekesa (1993) noted that to improve students' performance head-teachers are required first to improve the management of the schools. This can be done by setting a clear vision for the schools and communicate this vision to students, support its Kwakwa (1973) describes the head-teacher as the keeper of keys, the director of transportation, the coordinator of correspondence, the quartermaster of stores, the divisor of intricate schedules, the publisher of handbooks, the director of public relations and the instructional leader.

The head-teacher is therefore a key person in any education system. He takes care of the final arrangements for the education of students in a school His role as a facilitator of all school activities cannot be taken for granted if he is expected to give the right kind of education to students, hence this sets the focus of the study.

Konchar (1988) states that schools are bad or good, in a healthy or unhealthy achievement by giving instructional leadership, resources and being visible in every part of the institution that account for students' perfonnance. Both the government and parents expect teachers to perform better at their present levels of training. The whole issue of students' performance should be considered from the broad framework of input and output. One of the core functions of schools is to take human raw material (students) and convert them into something more valuable, as in employable adults. Of paramount importance, therefore, is the proper management of teachers for its absence will invariably lead to low productivity on the part of the teachers (Republic of Kenya, 1988). Head-teachers as schools' chief executives are charged with this daunting task of managing teachers among other school resources.

In Kenya supervision was based on racial lines until 1924 when the first educational ordinance was established after phelpstakes commission, which empowered the government to develop control and supervise education (Mutua, 1975) and other stipulated qualities. During this period of administrative inspection (1642 to 1875), supervision was handled by lay men who included the clergy, school widen, trustees, select men and citizen committees. Supervision concentrated on such matters as appraising the general achievements of the students in subject matters, evaluating methods used by teachers, observing the general management of the schools and conducts of students and ascertaining whether money spent on education was wisely expended.

Instructional supervision is an important aspect of a headteachers in a secondary school. For any system or organization to function effectively and eventually achieve its objectives previously set, it is necessary to establish a mechanism through which the set objectives would be achieved proper supervision of instruction facilities that achievement of goals and objectives of education, supervision evolved from the realization that we cannot accomplish much by simply grouping people together (Okuhuba 1998).

For any group of people to hold together, there must be a common objective that the members of the group are committed to, a direction to channel the diverse and often disorganized efforts of individuals into a purposeful stream of productivity to achieve the common objective. Newer and better supervisory techniques must be developed through research efforts and applied in order to release the maximum potential of the teachers.