| dc.description.abstract | It has been observed that managers of organizations affect how an organization works
or operates. They affect the way objectives are implemented and achieve. The wayan
organization is managed has an impact on how successful it may work and operate to achieve
its goals. The boards of governors were mandated to manage public secondary schools in
Kenya on behalf of the minister for education. Thus, the roles of the boards of governors may
affect the academic performance of a school positively or negatively. This study aimed at
establishing the influence of the board of governors on the academic performance of public
secondary schools. It sought to establish whether planning, budgetary control, motivation of
teachers, disciplinary measures on students and recruitment of teachers by the boards of
governors influences the academic performance of the public secondary schools. The study
was undertaken in Kakamega North District using a descriptive survey design. Selection of
the sample was done through stratified random sampling and purposive sampling techniques.
A total of 126 boards of governors responded to questionnaires. The instruments for data
collection were questionnaires and interview schedules. A pilot study was conducted in two
schools from a neighboring district and experts consulted to ascertain the reliability and
validity of the instruments. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi square test
using the statistical package for social sciences. The study findings indicated that the boards
of governors have a direct role and influence on the academic performance of public
secondary schools. This they achieve by planning, setting targets, controlling allocations in
the budgets made by the parents teachers associations, motivating teachers to work, instilling
discipline in the students and recruitment of teachers. Strategic planning, development of
work plans and setting targets to achieve help boards of governors to be focused in their
roles. It was found that schools that had strategic plans (58%) performed better than those
without. They had more students with C+ and above(58%). Schools that put emphasis on
teaching and learning facilities had better results compared to those that emphasized only
physical facilities or salaries. Schools where teachers were motivated had more students with
C-I- and above in KCSE 2011 (270 candidates) than those from none motivated teachers (48
candidates) students discipline was also found to have influence on performance. 98% of the
respondents indicated that indiscipline students performed poorly in academics. Schools that
were adequately staffed in subjects showed better performance 88% as compared to those
who were not adequately staffed in subjects. It was therefore concluded that the board of
governors roles influenced the academic performance in public secondary schools and
therefore the board should be streamlined and strengthened for better academic performance.
It was also recommended that all public schools should have in place strategic plans, subcommittee
and proper allocation of funds with emphasis on teaching and learning aids. The
study recommended further research to be carried out on ascertaining factors that undermine
the system of recruiting teachers by BOGs and also establish factors that hinder proper
budgeting control in the public secondary schools in the same study. The findings,
conclusions and recommendations will be useful to the boards of governors, ministry of
education policy makers, researchers, practitioners' academicians, professionals and all the
stakeholders in the education sector. | en_US |
