A study of the administrative challenges faced by public secondary school head teachers in selected schools in Vihiga district, Kenya

Abstract

Head teachers encounter administrative challenges. The challenges bring them into contact with the students, teachers, non-teaching staff, parents and members of the community like politicians. This study endeavored to identify the administrative challenges faced by head teachers of public secondary schools in Vihiga district. It also sought to establish the administrative challenges that head teachers face as a result of the size and location of the school. It also sought to find out if the teacher-student ratio contribute to the administrative challenges that head teachers face and also to determine if the enrolment of students in relation to enrolment trends contribute to administrative challenges faced by the head teachers. Lastly the study endeavored to find out possible solutions to the administrative challenges faced by the head teachers. Under the literature review _the subheadings discussed included school administration, importance of head teacher, administrative processes in education like planning, organizing and co-coordinating and administrative tasks like curriculum and instruction, student management and staff personnel management. The research design used in this study was descriptive survey. The target population was the public secondary school head teachers in Vihiga district. The research instrument used was one set of questionnaire to the head teachers. In data collection 48 secondary schools were used where 8 were used for piloting and 40 for the real study. The respondents were secondary school head teachers. The data was analyzed using frequencies and percentages for easier interpretation. In answering the research questions it was established that head teachers encounter administrative challenges from the task areas they perform, size and location of school, teacher- student ratio and enrolment of students in relation to enrolment trends. Among the challenges faced are; lack of physical facilities, lack of teachers, student indiscipline, community interference in school matters and poor transport and communication to schools. The head teachers were requested to suggest ways of solving the administrative challenges they faced. The data collected showed solutions like government was to employ more teachers, guidance and counseling was to be intensified in schools, teachers were to be motivated and rewarded to raise their morale and schools were to be tightly fenced. The last chapter is summary of the study and among the recommendations made were; the Ministry of Education was to employ more teachers, short courses were to be organized to equip the head teachers on financial management and the government was to finance for free secondary education. The study finally recommended areas for further research.