Thesis:

Influence of principals’ teacher management strategies on Student performance in Kenya certificate of secondary Education in Garissa township sub-county, Kenya

Globally, education systems have increasingly focused on academic achievement, often prioritizing examination results over holistic development of students. This trend has led to prioritization of cognitive-oriented programs at the expense of social and psychomotor development activities, such as co-curricular programs. In Kenya, this examination-oriented approach has been particularly evident, where schools have dedicated more time to academic programs. Unfortunately, management aspect, a critical component of successful education delivery, has often been overlooked in many secondary schools. In response to this decline, the government undertook efforts to increase number of teachers in public schools and improve infrastructure, including classrooms, laboratories, libraries and dormitories. The purpose of this study was to investigate principals’ teacher management strategies influence on student performance in KCSE in Garissa Township Sub-County, Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to establish the influence of principals’ teacher resource mobilization strategies, professional records management strategies, community engagement strategies and motivation strategies on student performance in the KCSE within the sub-county. The study was grounded in Resource Dependency Theory and Educational Leadership Theory and employed a descriptive research design. Nine public secondary schools in Garissa Township Sub-County were targeted, involving a total of 1,240 respondents, including the Sub-County Education Officer, nine principals, 330 teachers, and 900 students. The Sub-County Education Officer and principals were selected through a census, while 30 percent of the remaining respondents were selected using simple random sampling, representing 270 students and 99 teachers. Instruments for research were piloted among 52 respondents in Sankuri Sub-County whereby face validity was established through pretesting but content validity through expert judgement. Reliability of instruments was attained by use of Cronbach’s Alpha formulae. Primary data were collected through a questionnaire, and interviews capturing both qualitative and quantitative information. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis and presented in prose form, while quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 30), employing both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive analysis involved measures of central tendencies and dispersion, while inferential analysis was conducted using multiple regression. Data were presented in tables, graphs and pie charts. The study found that schools maintained adequate physical and material resources to support teaching and learning. However, the regular review of student and teacher registers did not enhance administrative effectiveness. Additionally, research established that community involvement in school budget planning improved financial transparency and resource allocation. It was also found that there was uncertainty regarding whether principals ensured teachers were informed about opportunities for skill and knowledge enhancement and whether an effective performance appraisal system was implemented. Research concluded that the principals’ professional records management strategy had the greatest effect on student performance in the KCSE in Garissa Township Sub-County, followed by teacher resource mobilization, community engagement, and motivation strategies. It was recommended that Ministry of Education develop and implement policies that support effective management of educational resources, professional development, community engagement, and teacher motivation.