Influence of secondary school headtechers' training on administrative competence in Nairobi East District, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of secondary school headteachers' training on their administrative competence in Nairobi East District. The study sought to answer four objectives; to determine the extent to which pre-service training influences headteachers' administrative competence; to establish the extent to which headteachers' administrative competence is influenced by on- the job training; to determine the extent to which in-service training offered by KESI on educational management influences administrative competence of secondary school headteacher and to determine the extent to which secondary school headteachers' administrative competence is influenced by: workshops and seminars offered by; Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association, Kenya Institute of Education and Kenya National Examination Council.

The study was guided by Katz leadership skills; it was conducted using descriptive survey design targeting a population of 17 headteachers, 17 deputy headteachers, and 76 heads 'of department. The study applied purposive sampling for all the respondents. Data was collected using questionnaires, for headteachers while the deputy headteacher and HODs responded to same questionnaire experts judgement was used to ensure the validity of instruments. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentage. The qualitative data was presented thematically in narrative form and in tables.

The major findings of the study were that on-the-job-training greatly influenced the headteachers administrative competence. The study also found out that the in-service training offered by KESI, workshops and seminars influenced the headteachers' administrative competence although they were in-serviced much later after the appointment and the programmes were done in a short duration as a crash programme.

The study found out that pre-service training had no influence the headteachers administrative competence that was attributed to the number of years that elapsed before one was appointed as a headteacher. Drawing from these fmdings, the study recommended that the Ministry of Education in-services the headteacher immediately upon appointment. The in- service courses should be conducted regularly at least once per year for the headteachers and the Ministry of Education to fmance the in-services courses instead of the schools.