Thesis:

Investigating effect of public administration education on governance performance of civil servants: a case of public service commission, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of public administration education on governance performance of civil servants: A Case of Public Service Commission, Kenya. The study was specifically to assess the effect of citizen engagement, crisis management, policy innovation, and building resilient institutions on governance performance. The study was guided by the Principal-Agent Theory and Street-Level Bureaucracy Theory, which provide insights into decision-making, accountability, and policy implementation within public administration. A mixed-methods research design was employed, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative approaches to collect and analyze data. Questionnaires and interviews were used as primary data collection tools, targeting a total population of 200 individuals, including staff, lecturers, commissioners, and human resource personnel at the Public Service Commission. A sample size of 133 respondents were selected using purposive sampling techniques. Data was analyzed using statistical techniques and thematic analysis. The pilot study was done in University of Nairobi on 13 respondents which was 13% of the sample size. The study is expected to provide valuable insights for policymakers, public administrators, and scholars in enhancing governance efficiency through improved public administration education. The findings contributed to policy formulation, institutional capacity-building, and improved citizen participation in governance processes. The study found that while public administration education in Kenya provides foundational knowledge on citizen engagement, practical application in governance remains limited. The study found that public administration education in Kenya adequately prepares professionals for crisis situations at a theoretical level. The study found that public administration education in Kenya fosters innovative thinking in policy development at a theoretical level. The study found that public administration education in Kenya emphasizes the concept of institutional resilience, though the depth of coverage may vary by institution. The study concluded that there is a disconnect between the theoretical foundations of citizen engagement and their practical application in Kenya’s public administration education. Public administration education in Kenya includes basic crisis management concepts, indicating awareness of the subject. Public administration education in Kenya promotes some level of innovative thinking, particularly in theory. There is a clear recognition that public administration education in Kenya promotes the importance of institutional resilience at the conceptual level. There is widespread public dissatisfaction with civil service governance performance across multiple dimensions service delivery, accountability, transparency, and inclusiveness. The study recommends that government agencies should establish citizen feedback systems (e.g., digital portals, town hall meetings) as standard practice. The government should eenhance modules on crisis management with updated content and clear learning outcomes. The government should iintegrate dedicated modules on policy innovation, creativity, and design thinking. The government should strengthen the connection between theoretical instruction on resilience and practical implementation through real-world case studies and fieldwork.