Influence of principal’s management strategies on teacher performance in public secondary schools in Eldas sub county, Wajir county

Abstract

Principals are the chief executives of their schools and they are tasked with managing teachers and resources to meet educational goals. Some of the principals’ management activities include performance evaluation, instructional supervision, coordination, and planning. The main objective of this study was to assess principal management strategies and their influence on teacher performance in selected public secondary schools in Eldas Subcounty, Wajir County. The following specific objectives guided the study: (i) to establish principals’ supervisory strategies and their influence on teacher performance in public secondary schools in Eldas Sub County, Wajir County, (ii) to determine principals’ motivational strategies and their influence on teacher performance in public secondary schools in Eldas Sub County, Wajir County, (iii) to examine principals’ resource mobilization strategies and their influence on teacher performance in public secondary schools in Eldas Sub County, Wajir County, and (iv) to determine the principals’ coordination strategies and their influence on teachers performance in public secondary schools in Eldas Sub County, Wajir County. The Systems Theory which holds that a school is a system of numerous parts that work in an interrelated manner towards organizational goals formed the theoretical framework of the study. The study adopted a descriptive research design which allows a researcher to explore existing topics by determining individuals’ behaviours, perceptions, attitudes, values, and experiences at a given time. The 6 public secondary schools in Eldas Sub County were the target population of the study. Purposive sampling was used to select 6 principals and 120 teachers. Questionnaires were used to collect data from teachers and interviews were used to collect data from principals. The researcher conducted a pilot survey to test the reliability and validity of research instruments. Quantitative data was entered, coded and analyzed using SPSS version 28. Descriptive statistics were used to present data in means, percentages and frequencies. Qualitative data was obtained from open-ended questions which were categorized into broad themes in line with study objectives. A multiple linear regression model was used to model the relationship between the independent variables and the response variable. The study concludes that principals’ supervision, motivation, and resource mobilization have a significant positive impact on teacher performance (P<0.05). Principals’ coordination strategies have no significant impact on teacher performance (P>0.05). The study recommends that principals should enhance their supervision, motivational, and resource mobilization strategies to improve teachers’ performance in public secondary schools in Eldas Sub-County, Wajir County.