| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of the study was to investigate the aspects that influence the implementation of principals’ performance appraisal on secondary school teachers in Matungulu district –Machakos County –Kenya. The study sought to determine the extent to which principals’ level of education, experience, age, gender and the staffing level of the institution influence the implementation of performance appraisal among public secondary school teachers. The challenges and issues influencing implementation of performance appraisal were also discussed.
The study was based on personality and attributes theories, the personality theory touching on the individual differences depending on abilities, intelligence, background/ culture, gender and race as well as the age and attitudes which influence the individual behavior. Attributes theory refers to the way people perceive and make judgment about people at work. It is also concerned with the way people attribute success or failure to themselves. Higher achievers associate success to ability and effort and failure to lack of effort and ability. This study adopted a descriptive survey design which was appropriate when collecting information about people’s attitudes, opinion, habits or any variety of social issues. A target population of 595respondents was used from 27 secondary schools, sample consisted of 225 respondents made up of 25 principals in the public secondary schools and 200 teachers in the schools. All the 25 principals sampled returned the questionnaires, which was one hundred percent return rate. Out of the 200 teachers sampled, 180 teachers returned the questionnaires, which was 90 percent. Stratified sampling method was used to cater for all the school categories and simple random sampling method was used to select the respondents for the study. The principals and the teachers were the key source of the data used which was collected through self administered questionnaires. The data analysis was done using descriptive statistics showing frequencies, and percentage tables, bar graphs and pie charts of each response.
The finding revealed the following in regard to the selected variables. The principals’ experience, level of education, age and experience adversely influence the implementation of performance appraisal. Gender on the other hand had no significant effect on the implementation of performance appraisal. Involvements of the teachers during performance appraisal help them solve the problems in their schools to attain the set objectives effectively. Provision of exposure opportunities for both teachers and principals through seminars, workshops and in service programs organized by schools, county or national level which will encourage professional growth. Provision of learning resources as a follow up of performance appraisal help in making necessary intervention, which help in boosting the morale of the teachers and change of attitude towards performance appraisal. Feedback should always be communicated to the teachers to encourage them adjust to the right direction.
Other related studies can be conducted to determine the influence of performance appraisal outcome on teacher performance to help exploit the shortcomings facing the implementation of performance appraisal in Kenya. Also a related study could be undertaken among secondary schools in other districts. | en |
