Publication: Role of primary school management committees (SMC) in academic perfomance: A case of Mswambweni division, Msambweni district, Kwale county, Kenya.
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2012-04
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Mount Kenya University
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Abstract
The Kenyan primary schools management practices have come under close scrutiny following the wave
of students performing poorly in the examinations. This has swept across the country in recent years.
School Management Committee (SMC) members are supposed to be knowledgeable people in
educational management to enhance the school performance. Despite this, schools in Msambweni
Division have continued to perform poorly in academics. This study was to investigate the challenges
faced by the School Management Committee (SMC) in relation to academic performance. The study
found some limitations in terms of accessibility to information from the head teachers due to lack of
keeping adequate school records, congested school programs, illiteracy of some SMC members and
negative attitude towards educational performance from some SMC members. The study targeted
population of 500 subjects and a sample of 164 subjects. This division has 20 schools. From the total
population, only 7 schools were sampled giving 91 members selected including the head teachers. An
adequate sample of 30 % of the total subjects were selected due to the regional diversity. The researcher
eventually used random sampling to acquire the required number of respondents together with purposive
sampling because the distribution of the population was heterogenous hence each member was to be
given fair chance of inclusion in the study. Three types of instruments were adopted for data collection,
namely: the questionnaire, focused group discussion and the interview schedule. The questionnaires
consisted of both close-ended and open ended items. The interview schedule was then used because it is
favorable for some of the SMC members are illiterate. An authority letter was applied for by the
researcher from the District Commissioner and the District Education Officer, Msambweni district
through the Mount Kenya University. The study established that the SMC are very important in that
without their support; most schools could be difficult to run and would close down. It was however stated
that a few of the SMC members were ignorant of their duties and that they did not attend meetings
regularly. There was need to have role models for pupils to emulate. School visits to performing schools
was suggested to be a benchmark and an incentive to pupils. The study further established that most SMC
members had not gone to school and some had not completed the primary level. This shows that they
cannot serve adequately as good role models and possess command in education. Other findings were
that the SMC were ignorant on their duty, lacked competence, knowledge and experience. Although
some had tried their level best to provide the basic resources, however, majority of the schools lacked
adequate classrooms, toilets and furniture. The findings from the head teacher’s and the SMC discussion
groups was used to display their effectiveness and efficiency in the full control of their schools. The data
was then analyzed and presented in tables and pie chart.
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Educational planning, Educational management