Effectiveness of performance contracts among secondary school teachers in Nairobi city county, Kenya

Abstract

The use of Performance Contracts has been acclaimed as one effective and promising means of improving the performance of teachers and secondary schools and Government departments. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of performance contracts among secondary school teachers in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives; to establish teachers’ awareness level of PC in secondary schools, to examine how the provision of adequate resources influences effectiveness of performance contracts among secondary schools teachers, to establish the influence of teachers’ trade unions on the effectiveness of Performance Contract and to establish factors hindering effectiveness of Performance Contracting among secondary school teachers in Nairobi City County. The study employed exploratory survey design. The target population was teachers in secondary schools in Nairobi City County. The study employed stratified random sampling for the schools and the secondary school teachers. The sample size was 20 secondary schools in Nairobi County and 300 secondary school teachers. Primary and secondary data were used of which primary data were collected through the use of questionnaires and secondary data through literature review and from published and unpublished scholarly reports, and government documents. Descriptive statistics comprising of frequencies and percentages were used to analyze data statistics comprising frequencies. The key findings for the study are; majority of the teachers are not aware of the meaning, importance and requirements of the performance contract in addition they lack adequate information on the role of PC in schools; Adequate resources are key to effectiveness of PC in schools, the study revealed that most schools lack adequate resources, facilities and infrastructure and these could not only hinder the effective implementation of PC in schools but also hinder the effectiveness of the PCs in improving teaching and learning. In addition lack of adequate resources is a threat to teachers since resources play a key role in PC in enabling players meet their targets. Most teachers trust their trade unions to make decisions affecting their welfare and especially in unclear circumstances. Several factors hinder the effectiveness of PC in secondary schools and they cut across inadequate knowledge by key players in PC process and role, lack of adequate resources, trade union influence, negative attitude and the fear that the PCs can be used to victimize teachers. The study strongly recommends that the government organizes workshops and seminars to sensitize teachers and key stakeholders on the benefits and requirements of PC.