Publication: Head Teachers Management of Resources For Implementation of Integration Programmes For The Intellectually Challenged Learners in Primary Schools in Maara District, Kenya.
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2012-10
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Mount Kenya University
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Abstract
Special needs education is an important field to the Ministry of Education and to the Government
at large. Most learners require a lot of resources to enable them understand a concept being
taught. However the problem of management of resources is a major challenge in integrated
programmes for the intellectually challenged learners. The Ministry has done a lot of efforts to
develop Special Needs Education for these special needs children. For effectiveness, the Ministry
has allocated extra funds for the Special Needs Children. It is not clear if these resources are
adequate or if these resources are well utilized and no study has been carried out to investigate
the problem. This study sought to investigate the head teacher’s management of resources for the
implementation of integrated programmes in Maara District. The study utilized a descriptive
survey research design. The target population of this study comprised of 11 head teachers, 40
teachers for integrated programmes for intellectually challenged learners and 1 DQASO in
Maara district. The sample size for the study was 37 subjects comprising of 10 head teachers, 26
teachers and 1 DQASO. Data was collected using questionnaire for head teachers, teachers and
an interview schedule for DQASO. One school outside the study sample was used in the pilot
study. The split half technique of measuring reliability of the instruments was used to compute
the reliability of the instruments. A correlation co-efficient of 0.7 and 0.72 were attained for,
teachers, and DQASO respectively. Data collected using questionnaires was analyzed by the use
of descriptive statistics namely; frequency counts and percentages using SPSS version 17 for
windows. Data generated from the interview was also coded and analyzed descriptively and
findings discussed thematically. The study established that most of teaching and learning
resources were not available in most of the schools. Books were inadequate in most of the
schools. The study further established that furniture, classrooms, chalkboards and latrines were
adequate.The study established that headteachers did the inspection to the school facilities; the
head teachers ensured that there were enough learning resources for all students. The integrated
programmes have well maintained classrooms; do not have well maintained furniture, and
resource rooms. Teaching staff was inadequate, students and staff were provided with essential
stationery in time, headteachers were not effective in recruitment of support staff and motivating
staff. The study further established that headteachers did not have management skills in
management of the resources, inadequate school structures, and few SNE trained teachers, Lack
of enough teaching and learning resources and Breakages and damages of resources by learners.
Truancy, lack of strategic plans by the schools, high cost of living and materials and Instability
of prices for commodities in the market were also highlighted as challenges. This study
concludes that head teachers were found to be relatively effective in most of the aspects of
integrated programmes resource management which included: physical, material, human and
financial resource management. The headteachers to be appointed to head integrated
programmes should also be trained on the various resources and needs for mentally handicapped.
The researcher recommends that the government should increase its budgetary allocation to
public primary schools with integrated programmes, and employ more SNE trained teachers to
cater for the shortage of teachers in the integrated programmes. The researcher recommends that
there should be increased involvement of the head teachers and SMC with other stakeholders in
decision making.
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Educational Planning, Masters of Education