Influence of Work Environment on Teacher Performance in Public Secondary Schools: a Case Study of Bungoma South Sub County, Kenya

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim of finding out the influence of work environment onteacher performance in Public Secondary schools in Bungoma South Sub-County. It dealt with analysing the reward programmes, facilities, leadership style and information flow within the schools that influence teacher performance.The target group was the post primary school teachers in Bungoma South Sub County, specifically the public secondary school teachers. The sample size was drawn from teachers in 10 public secondary schools. The study used stratified, purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The data collection methods employed were both secondary and primary, previous research and literature was employed to get the second hand data while questionnaires were used to get the primary data.A pilot study was conducted in the neighbouring Bungoma East Sub-County. Random sampling was employed to get the data for the study. The schools were stratified according to the school categories (Extra County, County, and Sub-county). Then 10 principals, 10 deputy principals, 87teachers were selected purposively from the categorised schools. The total number of respondents that took part in the research were 107 out of 749 target population.A check of the instruments‟ reliability and validity was done after the pilot study. Quantitative data was analysed by use of descriptive statistics and results presented through APA tables. The study revealed that both intrinsic and extrinsic reward programme positively influenced teacher performance. It was also deduced that consultative and participative leadership styles enhanced teacher performance. The study also found out that physical facilities coupled with ICT integration positively influenced teacher performance in the study schools and lastly vertical information flow negatively influenced teacher performance as compared to horizontal and free flow of information. The study recommends thatschools should adopt both intrinsic and extrinsic reward programme so that teachers are motivatedenhancing their improved performance and overall student performance.The top administration should adopt both consultative and participative leadership styles as this enhance the participation of all school stakeholders in the decision making process in the study schools and hence easier implementation of schools goals and objectives.The management should strive to better their infrastructure so as to embrace new technology in school management as this will boost teacher performance as well as students‟ academic performance.The schools should adopt horizontal and free flow of information as this allows for feedback both up down and down up communication chains.