Influence of principals' management skills on academic performance of day mixed secondary Schools in Kakamega East sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

This research project was designed to establish influence of Principals' Management skills on Student Academic performance of day mixed Secondary Schools in Kakamega East District, Kakamega County of Kenya. Management skills entailed management ability and capacity acquired through deliberate, systematic and sustained effort to smoothly and adaptively carryout complex activities or job functions involving ideas (cognitive skills), things (technical skills) and/or people (interpersonal skills). It involved the learned power of doing something competently. Management incorporates designing, developing and implementing policies to achieve set objectives. Different studies have been done in the world in regard to Principals' Management skills on student academic performance in the day mixed secondary schools as indicated in literature review of this study. This study sought to establish how principals teaching, human resource, Financial and planning skills influenced student academic performance in day mixed secondary schools in Kakamega East district. The study was necessitated as a result of continuous poor performance of day mixed secondary schools in National examinations. The independent variables for the study were; principals teaching, human resource management, financial and planning skills. The dependent variable was student academic performance in National Examinations. The study was guided by theoretical framework which was proposed by Frederick Taylors scientific management theory that advocated for definition of daily tasks, use of appropriate tools and materials, pay commensurate with work done, and selection and training of staff which are vital for good academic performance. Finally, it showed the knowledge gap to be filled. The target population was 6,043 respondents. Descriptive survey design was used as the methodology where purposive sampling was employed to sample out 30 Principals from the study area, 309 students through simple random sampling, 30 teachers through simple random sampling and 1 DQASO through purposive sampling to form 370 respondents, Data was collected using questionnaires to collect data from students and teachers while interview guide was used to gather information from principals and the DQASO. Qualitative data was analysed using direct quotation from respondents. Quantitative data analysis took the form of frequency tables, percentages form and means. Correlation was made to show relationship between student academic performance and principals management skills. Chapter five has dealt with summary, conclusion and recommendation of the findings.