Principals’ management Practices in Promoting Gender Inclusive Education in Public Mixed Secondary Schools in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the management strategies of school principals in supporting gender-inclusive education in public mixed secondary schools in Nairobi County, Kenya. This arises in response to demands for gender-inclusive education, which advocates for equitable educational opportunities for both girls and boys. The study aimed to investigate the impact of parental involvement by school principals on gender inclusivity in public mixed secondary schools in Nairobi County. It also aimed to examine the effect of learner-centered leadership by school principals, as well as the influence of resource management by school principals, on gender inclusivity. Additionally, the study sought to determine the effect of psychosocial support provided by school principals on gender inclusivity in public mixed secondary schools in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was based on systems theory. The study employed a descriptive research design and addressed a group of 237 participants, consisting of 209 instructors and 28 principals selected from 28 public day secondary schools in Nairobi County. A sample of 109 teachers was obtained using a sampling procedure, and all 28 principals were included in the study. The data was gathered through the utilization of a questionnaire administered to teachers and an interview guide utilized with principals. The collected data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, including percentages, frequencies, mean scores, and standard deviations. Inferential statistics were also employed. The qualitative data underwent content analysis and was subsequently provided in prose format. The results indicated that the majority of schools had not successfully implemented gender inclusive education. Furthermore, it was determined that parental engagement was insufficient in the majority of schools, which hindered the promotion of gender-inclusive education. In addition, the majority of schools, under the guidance of their principals, failed to provide emotional support to students and did not promote learner-centered leadership. As a result, this had a negative impact on gender inclusion inside these schools. The study found that the management practices of school principals have a substantial influence on promoting gender-inclusive learning. Therefore, it is recommended that school principals actively involve parents and students, and allocate resources to encourage students to participate in gender-inclusive education.