Influence of headteachers’ management of facilities on pupils’ performance in Kenya certificate of primary education in Nairobi county, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of headteachers’ management of facilities on pupils’ performance in KCPE in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives: to determine the extent to which the level of adequacy of school facilities headteachers manage and how it influences pupils’ performance in KCPE, to assess the extent to which the level of competence of headteachers’ management of facilities and how it influences pupils’ performance in KCPE, to establish the extent to which the gender of headteachers in management of facilities influences pupils’ performance in KCPE, to determine the extent of delegation of responsibilities to staff by headteachers in management of facilities and how it influences pupils’ performance in KCPE and to determine the extent to which the level of documentation of facilities by headteachers in management of facilities influences pupils’ performance in KCPE. The study was based on the Max Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy. The study employed descriptive survey design. The target population was 612 head teachers, senior teachers and accounts’ clerks in Nairobi County. The sample size was 123. In the selection of districts to participate in the study, simple random sampling method was used while for the schools, headteachers, senior teachers and accounts’ clerks, purposive sampling method was utilized. The research instruments used were the two sets of questionnaires, interview and documents analysis guides Validation of the instruments was done by the supervisors from the Department of Educational Administration and Planning of the University of Nairobi who read through the instruments. The reliability coefficient of the research instruments was determined by split-half technique method, and was found to be 0.73 for the headteachers’ 0.88 for the senior teachers’ questionnaires. and 1 for the interview guide for the accounts’ clerks. Descriptive statistics and distribution techniques were used to analyze the data using SPSS 20 version computer programme. Data was presented in tables. The main findings were: high level of adequacy of the school facilities, competence of headteachers, documentation of facilities, gender of the headteachers, very adequate delegation of responsibilities to staff in management of facilities had the best pupils’ performance in KCPE. The study concluded that level of adequacy of the school facilities; level of competence of headteaches, gender of the headteachers, extent of delegation of responsibilities to staff and level of documentation of facilities influenced the strategies employed by headteachers to effectively manage school facilities and enhance ’pupils’ performance in KCPE. Although the combined efforts of the respondents varied to a large extent, if was evident the sole contribution of the headteacher in management of facilities seemed to be more responsible for pupils’ performance in KCPE. The study recommends to KEMI to organize in-service training programmes targeting headteachers’ management of facilities, DQAS to carry out regular supervision of schools, headteachers to regularly review level of adequacy of school facilities, extent of delegation of responsibilities to staff and level of document of facilities to enhance pupils; performance in KCPE..