Influence of positive school culture on performance at Kenya certificate of secondary education in public secondary schools in Rongo district, Kenya

Abstract

The school is a mini society where desirable individual qualities are nurtured and developed. Education in Kenya has not fully lived up to this expectation with a raging debate to scrap Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination to allow free transition of pupils from primary to secondary level. The study objective sought to establish the influence of positive school culture on performance at KCSE in public secondary schools in Rongo District, Kenya. Descriptive survey design was employed in this study. The target population for the study consisted of the public secondary school principals, teachers and students in Rongo district. Stratified random sampling was used to select 20 public secondary schools in Rongo district. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics was used to show the frequencies and percentages of each response. Qualitative data analysis was done simultaneously with data collection. The study found that pupils’ enrollment influences head teachers’ instructional supervision in public primary schools in Rongo district. The study found that in public secondary schools in Rongo district core values are communicated, staff meetings are meeting and recognize heroes and heroines. The study also found that the students are involved in activities like drama, sports activities and clubs. The study also found that the secondary schools in Rongo are faced with issues of exam irregularities, which are handled by the schools appropriately. The study concludes that there is need for professional behaviour among the staff, practice regular school rituals to enhance awareness of improving academic standards. Core values should be emphasized with the view of improving academic performance and lastly, challenges of nurturing and promoting positive school culture should be done. The study recommends that public secondary schools come up with talent search program, set up special days where the teachers and the students’ interact, improve their organization structure where the teachers are consulted on performance and discipline issues, inculcate honesty and integrity in their students by the teachers being role models, and that the teachers as professional strengthen supervision and invigilation of school based tests and examinations. The study recommends a study to be carried on the effects of culture on the performance of primary schools in Kenya.