Influence of instructional supervision methods on curriculum implementation in public secondary schools in Maara sub-county, Tharaka-Nithi county, Kenya

Abstract

Education serves as a tool to mold and transform the populace of a nation, enhancing their cognitive abilities and thereby mitigating social disparities. In Kenya, secondary education is held in high regard due to its role in producing skilled human resources that align with industry benchmarks. As the country grapples with a growing population and the impact of globalization, its education system faces ongoing challenges that impact the quality of the educational outcomes. The main aim of the study was to determine the influence of instructional supervision methods on curriculum implementation in public secondary schools in Maara Sub-county, Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were: (i) to identify the instructional supervision methods used by principals (ii) to establish the level of effectiveness of instructional supervision methods adopted by principals in enhancing academic performance (iii) to examine the teachers’ attitudes on instructional supervision in public secondary schools, and (iv) to determine the influence of school work environment on curriculum implementation. The study employed a descriptive research design. The study was conducted in Maara Sub County, Tharaka Nithi County. The target population was 52 principals and 776 teachers in public secondary schools in Maara Sub County, Tharaka Nithi County. Purposive, stratified and systematic sampling was used to obtain 16 principals and 264 teachers to obtain a sample size of 280 respondents. The study was based on the Symbolic Interactionism Theory by Blumer (1969). Primary data was collected using questionnaires and document analysis. The researcher used SPSS version 28 and interpreted through descriptive statistics including frequencies and presented using tables. Pearson correlation coefficient was utilized to determine the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Findings of the first objective revealed a positive correlation between instruction supervision methods and curriculum implementation (Pearson’s r = 0.201, p = 0.011). Findings of the second objective showed a marginal positive association between instructional supervision and academic performance (Pearson’s r = 0.136, p = 0.037). Regarding the third objective, the results showed there is a negative correlation between teacher attitudes and instructional supervision (Pearson’s r = -0.163, p = 0.035). The study also found a positive association between work environment and curriculum implementation (Pearson’s r = 0.140, p = 0.024). The study made recommendations based on the findings that principals should increase the frequency of instructional supervision activities including monitoring the timely preparation of schemes of work, checking lesson plans, and conducting classroom observations to promote curriculum implementation. There is need to collaborate with teachers to address teachers’ negative attitudes towards supervision which limits curriculum implementation. It is critical for principals to provide adequate physical and administrative resources which enhance curriculum implementation.