Contributions of school management practices on the performance of secondary schools in Kajiado Central Sub -county, Kajiado county, Kenya

Abstract

This study seeks to establish the impacts of various leadership styles including; autocratic, democratic and haissez faire, on student’s academic performance in secondary schools in Kajiado Central sub-county, Kajiado County. The objectives of the study included; identifying leadership styles used by headteachers of secondary schools, establish whether headteacher leadership styles identified influence students’ academic performance at K.C.S.E. and to suggest measures of mitigating headteacher leadership style and students’ academic performance of students in schools in the county. The study used ex-post facto researcher design. In identifying the sample size the study used purposive and interview schedules, as tools of data collection from respondents. Data was collected on independent variables, which is leadership styles and that of dependent variable which is leadership styles and that of dependent variables which is school performance. The respondents included students, teachers and principals drawn from and secondary schools. The schools in the sub-county had a total of 2133 boys and 3600 girls from mixed day and mixed boarding schools who sat their Kenya certificate of secondary Education (K.C.S.E.), in the last 2014. Statistical methods including percentage, means were used. The study sought to identify gaps left by other studies and try to narrow them through the findings of this study. The findings were presented in forms of tables, figures and charts. The study established that the main type of leadership styles used by headteachers of secondary schools in Kajiado sub-county was democratic leadership style, followed by the autocratic style which was applied in some schools. There was appositive relationship between K.C.S.E. performance and leadership styles between 2010 to 2014, in those schools that used a combination of autocratic and democratic leadership styles did well in K.C.S.E. 2Measures revealed that had been put in place to bring up headteachers leadership styles that enhance student’s academic performance at K.C.S.E. included; appealing for parental and community support, bench-marking of best performing schools and poor performing schools. In the same category, testing policy, discipline, departmental meetings, ensuring syllabus coverage and use of technology in curriculum. The study therefore recommends involvement of all stakeholders to scale up the best outfit of leadership style for the enhancement of student’s academic performance of K.C.S.E. The study once accomplished world be availed to the principals, to help them adopt a fair leadership style(s) in improving performance at K.C.S.E. in their respective schools. It will also be availed to the stakeholders to help in advising on the best approaches to improving performance of K.C.S.E. in Kajiado central sub-county, Kajiado County.