Browsing by Author "Karanja, Sarah G."

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    Effects of management techniques on implementation of School projects in secondary schools in Kathiani district, Machakos county, Kenya
    (Mount Kenya University, 2013-11) Karanja, Sarah G.
    The Kenya government’s introduction of free primary and subsidized secondary school education has led to an increased upsurge of students in schools. This has brought about the need to implement school projects to accommodate this need thus prompted the importance of finding out the effects of the management techniques involved therein. The purpose of this study was to find out the effects of management techniques employed on implementation of school projects in secondary schools in Kathiani District, Machakos County, Kenya. The study had four objectives namely; to examine the type of management skills and techniques, to analyze resource management techniques, conflict management techniques and financial management techniques to implement school projects within Kathiani District, Machakos County, Kenya. A descriptive survey design was used to undertake the study. The target population was managers of 29 secondary schools within Kathiani District. Systematic random sampling was used to sample 6 schools. From each school one Principal, deputy,3 HODs and 5 members of BOM were purposively selected to yield 10 respondents per school and 60 in the entire study locale. Data was collected through questionnaires for the deputy principals and HODs, a checklist for principals and an interview schedule for BOM members. Data was collected through an organised schedule where the researcher visited the selected schools to drop the questionnaires. Qualitative technique was used to analyze data from the interview guide and focus group discussions while quantitative technique was used to analyze data from the questionnaires. In both quantitative and qualitative techniques, data was coded into common themes and entered into SPSS program to facilitate analysis.The study findings indicated that projects implementation is associated with management technique used by the school managers. To a great extent, democratic leadership contributed to successful implementation of school projects, school-based management and school improvement. Most of schools that used autocratic management styles had many unimplemented projects hence the need to train principals and teachers on their human conflict, financial and resource management skills. The resources made for new projects were not well utilized and the principals hardly outsourced financial management services. In addition, the projects were poorly implemented due to poor financial performance and lack of competent financial management. It was thus recommended that since the resources meant for new projects were not well utilized, adoption of a clear monitoring and accountability procedures was necessary. It was also recommended that the government be directly responsible for auditing the schools financial expense to ensure the money is put in good use. This will improve accountability and transparency in school thus ensuring that school heads have attained their roles and responsibilities in projects implementation .The government through KEMI should also encourage the school heads to employ democratic leadership style in schools in a bid to increase accountability and transparency of school resources and train school heads and teachers on resource management techniques, conflict management techniques and financial management techniques in the implementation of projects. A similar study should also be carried out in different areas in the country in a bid to establish whether similar findings will be reached.