Influence of headteachers administrative characteristics on Girls completion rates in public primary schools in Uriri division, Migori county Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the. study was to establish the influence of head teachers' administrative characteristics on girls' completion rates in public primary schools in Uriri Division, Migori County, Kenya. The study sought to establish the extent to which the head teachers' visionary characteristics influence girls' completion rates in public primary schools in the division. It also determined the extent to which head teachers' collaborative characteristics influence girls' completion rates in public primary schools, determine the extent to which the head teachers' informative characteristic influence girls completion rates in the division and also to establish how the head teachers' initiative characteristic influences girls' completion rates. The sample size consisted of 10 primary schools in the division, 10 head teachers, 70 teachers and 80 standard eight girls, making a population of 170. The instruments which were used included questionnaires for head teachers, teachers and standard eight girls. Questionnaires were chosen since they are more efficient in that they require less time to develop, less expensive and they enhance collection of data from a wide population. The findings of the study were that none of the head teachers showed anyone particular administrative characteristics. The study also revealed that most school heads do not involve stakeholders in running the schools. The study pointed out the tact that since the year 2003 to date the level of girls' completion rates have been lower compared to their male counterparts. Most of the respondents cited lack of parental support and poverty as contributing challenges, with the former being most frequently stated. From the study findings showed that most head teachers do not involve stakeholders in running the school. The study recommends that the school heads should involve stakeholders as well as provide vision which should be used as driving force in education of the girls. Since the study was done in public primary schools in Uriri Division, it is recommended That a similar study should be replicated in the whole district, if not in the entire County, in order to give a bigger picture of the status of girls' education, more so, it should cover private primary schools in the region. Suggestion for future research is that a similar study be carried out in the whole district or in the county. This will provide a trigger picture of the status of girls' education.