| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this research study was to investigate the effect of school culture in
Kenya Certificate of Primary Education performance in Kasarani district, Kenya.
The objectives of the study were to investigate on the role of participatory leadership
on pupil’s performance in K.C.P.E, effects of obeying school rules on pupil’s
performance in K.C.P.E, the effects of students lifestyle on pupil’s performance in
KCPE and to evaluate to what extent guidance and counseling help on pupil’s
performance in K.C.P.E. Descriptive survey design was used to conduct the study.
The target population was the 24 public primary schools, 24 head teachers, and 220
teachers and 373 pupils in Kasarani district. The Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table
was used to get the sample size of all the 24 head teachers and 220 teachers.
Systematic sampling method was used to get the sample size of 373 pupils. The total
sample size was 676 respondents of the total population. Questionnaires for head
teachers, teachers and pupils were used in data collection. The questionnaires were
validated through appraisal from the supervisors and education administration
experts from the department and then subjected to a pilot study. The instrument was
tested for reliability through test-retest technique with a reliability coefficient of 0.88
for head teacher’s questionnaire, 0.92 for the teachers’ questionnaire and 0.86 for the
pupil’s questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze data which was
assembled, coded with the assistance of Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS) programme.
The findings of the study were that there is substantial evidence concerning the
importance of participatory school leadership in creating good schools. All the head
teachers indicated that they involved the contribution and input of teachers in school
decision making.
Discipline is major component in any school culture. Majority of the teachers stated
that reduction on indiscipline cases was one of the benefits to the school in ensuring
that the school rules and regulations are enforced. Another stated that improved
pupils performance in examinations was a benefit of following the school rules and
regulations. The results also indicated that reduction on indiscipline cases, improved
performance by pupil’s adherence to rules and regulations and minimal waste of
time were some of the benefits of adherence to school rules in the schools.
School lifestyle encompasses atmosphere, security safety and the quality of the
building which should be appropriate, adequately and devoid of any risks to the
learners. All the head teachers gave the view that the pupils played a hand in
influencing each others behaviour in the school. The results indicate that majority of
the pupils influenced each other in both smoking and use of abusive language in the
school. The other pupils influenced each other on prostitution, drug abuse and peer
pressure. All the head teachers stated that truancy and theft were some common
vices afflicting many pupils in all the schools in the district. Other common negative
behaviour included drug abuse, prostitution, and alcoholism. All the teachers
unanimously indicated that alcoholism was a major vice among the pupils in the
schools.
All the head teachers indicated that functional guidance and counseling departments
existed in all the schools. Majority of the teachers said that the guidance and
counseling department was present in the school with the other indicating that the
department was in-existent in the school. The teachers gave valid reasons for the
absence of guidance and counseling department ranging from lack of a responsible
teacher in the school, teachers dislike the work of guidance and counseling, the
department was initiated but died and it has never been initiated.
The recommendations of this study are that the Ministry of Education should focus
more on development of the school’s culture as a learning environment as it is
fundamental to improved teacher morale and student achievement. KEMI in its
school management training manual should ensure school head teachers comprehend
the critical role that the organizational culture plays in developing a successful
school. The head teacher should induct the new teacher on the culture of the school
for the teacher to embrace the school values and norms necessary for working in
school. The head teacher, teachers and all the school community should work
together in induction of new teacher and pupils into the school culture. It is
suggested that a comparative study on the effect of school culture in Kenya
Certificate of Primary Education performance need to undertake in other districts in
Kenya. A study on the effect of school culture in Kenya Certificate of Secondary
Education performance should be done. It is suggested that a comparative study on
the influence of induction of new head teachers by the on performance of duty in the
best and poor performing public secondary schools in Kenya should be undertaken.
It is also suggested that study on the influence of induction of new teachers by the
head teacher on performance of duty in public secondary schools in Kamukunji
district can be replicated in other districts in Kenya. | en |
