Exploration into the relationship between school inspection and academic achievement of secondary schools in Embu county, Kenya.
Date
2015-06
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Mount Kenya University
Abstract
Academic achievement in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination is of integral
significance to all education stakeholders in Kenya. It is for this reason that school inspection is
carried out by quality assurance and standard officers. However, some schools continue to perform
dismally despite the school inspections. This has been the point of concern for stakeholders as to
whether such inspections have an effect on academic achievement in national exams. Thus the
purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between school inspection and academic
achievement in secondary schools in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination
in Embu County schools. The study adopted the production function theory. The conceptual
framework depicted interplay between Independent and Dependent Variables. Inspections are
inputs whereas the performance in examinations is outputs. The types, quality, number of
inspections and inspection follow ups are the independent variables, while school performance in
KCSE is the dependent variable. The study adopted a mixed methodology with triangulation
design; convergence model. A triangulation design; convergence model is mainly concerned with
determining the frequency with which phenomenon occurs or the relationship between variables
Bryman and Bell (2003).Questionnaire and document analysis were used to collect data, their
validity was established by test-retest method. Qualitative data was analyzed by thematic and
content analysis techniques after editing of research instruments, coding the various categories
which emerged and summarizing them. The data was generated and then was analyzed using
Statistical Package for Social Sciences computer program for faster processing and analysis of
accuracy. The sample population included; - Thirty three Secondary Schools were randomly
selected from the five sub-counties in the County. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze
frequency of inspection and rate of implementation. Inferential statistics; the pearson’s correlation
moment was used establish the relationship between number of quality assurance and standards
officers and performance of the school, as well as implementation rate and academic achievement.
The study found out that there was negative relationship between inspection variables and
academic achievement because despite the attempts to inspect the schools the academic
performance in Embu secondary schools remained below average The study recommended change
in the strategies used in inspection, revamping the inspectorate in terms of numbers and skill and
provide adequate resources to run the inspection programs. Findings from this study makes
recommendations that form an important basis for decision making to education managers and
other stakeholders.
Description
Keywords
Educational leadership, Administration, Management