Principals' role in improving secondary school examination outcomes in Nyamira County - Kenya

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine principals' role in improving secondary school examination outcomes in Nyamira County. The survey involved 108 principals sampled from 150 schools. Data analysis was based on 93 questionnaires that were returned. The findings showed that principals attributed low Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination outcomes to factors such as frequent student absenteeism, insufficient learning and teaching facilities, frequent student transfers and admission of students with low Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) marks. Strategies used by principals to improve examination outcomes included remedial tuition, intensive careers guidance and counseling of students, adequate staffing in all subjects and equipping the library and laboratory. Using chi-square statistics at 5% level of significance, performances of schools were found to be significantly related with gender and professional training of principals, type and category of school and setting of performance targets. There were no significant relationships between performances of schools with age and professional experience of principals. The results also showed the perception of principals of their role in improving examination outcomes such as establishing departments for careers guidance and counseling, ensuring stakeholders understand goals set, and rewarding well- performing teachers and students. In view of these findings, principals should deliberately strive to create an enabling environment by effectively performing their roles towards improved examination outcomes.