Strategies headteachers use to enhance performance in kenya Certificate of secondary education in secondary schools in Garissa district, Kenya.

Abstract

Education plays a very vital role in securing economic and social progress and improving income distribution in the country. Headteachers play a very vital role in ascertaining whether or not the desired educational results are achieved. The success or failure of a school depends on the headteacher management strategies. The purpose of this study was to establish the strategies headteachers use to enhance performance in Kenya certificate of secondary education in secondary schools in Garissa district. The objectives of this study were: to establish the headteachers’ role in provision of conducive learning conditions at the schools towards enhancing student’s academic performance, to establish the headteachers role in management of staff and students to enhance academic performance of students, to find out the headteachers roles in management of students discipline to enhance their academic performance and to establish the effective strategies that the headteachers can use to effect good academic performance of students in the national examination. The study was based on scientific management theory by Fredrick Taylor. The study utilized descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study was 600 form three and form four students, 100 teachers and 10 headteachers. Headteachers and teachers were purposively sampled. The students were randomly sampled. The study utilized questionnaires to collect data for teachers and pupils, and interview schedule for the headteachers. Piloting was done in two schools in the district, which will not be included in the final study. The researcher tested the reliability of the instrument using Spearman Brown prophesy formula of split half technique. Permission to collect data from the schools was sought from the District Education Officer and the research instrument administered to the respondents. Data was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences’ (SPSS). The study established that the headteachers were ineffective in management of the schools in the areas of provision of instructional materials, the majority of the schools lacked library and that the textbooks in the schools were not enough. The majority of the schools did not have a laboratory, and those that had, they were not well equipped. Towards the enhancement of the results, the majority of the schools reported that the headteachers did not provide extra revision materials, books and past papers, the learning facilities (chairs and lockers) in the schools were not enough and well maintained. The study established that the headteachers did not enhance team building in the staff, did not reward the good performing students, did not motivate, praise or acknowledge the good performing students, and did not ensure timely marking of the exams. From the findings of this study, it can be concluded hat the headteachers were ineffective in enhancing the academic performance in their secondary schools, and that the strategies they employed were not effective. The study recommends that the government should also increase on the School infrastructure fund, and especially for the schools in the arid and semi arid regions, so as to enable them build and equip the schools with library, and enough laboratories.