Influence of Monitoring and Evaluation of Curriculum Implementation on Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools: a Case of Smase Projects Inmukaa Sub-county, Makueni County

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of monitoring and evaluation of curriculum implementation on academic performance in public secondary schools in Mukaa Sub County, Makueni County. The study focused on the SMASE projects in Mukaa Sub county and was guided by the following objectives: to assess the influence of monitoring and evaluation of classroom activities on academic p e r f o r ma n c e in Physics in public secondary schools in Mukaa Sub County , to establish the influence of monitoring and evaluation of school management on academic performance in Physics in public secondary schools in Mukaa Sub County , to determine the influence of monitoring and evaluation of teachers’ professional development on academic performance in Physics in public secondary schools in Mukaa Sub County and to establish the influence of monitoring and evaluation of instructional policy and planning on academic performance in Physics in public secondary schools in Mukaa Sub County. The study adopted a Descriptive Survey Research design. The target population was 65 comprising of 30 principals, 30 s c i e n c e department heads, 2(two) County Staffing Officers, (CSO), 2 (two) Strengthening Mathematics and Science (SMASE) Coordinators and 1(one) Quality Assurance Officer, (QASO). The researcher used census sampling to identify the respondents. A total sample size of 65 respondents was used in the study. Validity of the research instruments was ensured by undertaking a pilot test in 4 schools. Reliability of the instruments was then computed by correlating the results of the 4 schools to determine the reliability coefficient. The questionnaires were used as the main research instruments. The questionnaires were administered to principals and head of science department while the interviews were conducted for the SMASE coordinators, CSO and the QASO. The researcher used Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.0 to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages was used to summarize the data. Fur ther analys i s was done us ing cor r elat ion and r egr es s ion model s . The key findings for this study were; firstly, physics classroom activities greatly influence academic performance in secondary schools and that the SMAS E p r o j e c t s imp l eme n t a t i o n p r o c e s s needs to be closely monitored and evaluated to enhance more efficiency. Secondly, the school management significantly influenced the performance of physics and that the management needs to be audited to suit the needs of SMASE projects. Thirdly, the study concluded that the teachers’ pro fes s io nal deve lopment determines academic performance in physics since this is one of requirements of the implementation of SMASE projects in schools. This is because there is a positive correlation between teacher’s professional development and academic performance of students in physics. Finally, the study concluded that there is a strong relationship between instructional policy and planning and academic performance of students in physics. The researcher recommended that monitoring and evaluation of physics classroom activities should involve SMASE projects coordinators at the sub county levels; school management audits should be raised a notch higher as part of monitoring and evaluation of school management; teachers’ professional development programs to be monitored and evaluated to ensure that they benefit the learners and not only the teacher; the ministry of education to hire and train more quality assurance and standards officers to conduct monitoring and evaluation of curriculum implementation in schools to ensure educational projects and programs such as SMASE are implemented to promote good academic performance of the learners. The study hopes to increase the available knowledge in the field of monitoring and evaluation of educational projects and programs to complement other quality assurance initiatives within the education system, which include program and service reviews and monitoring of learning achievements. The knowledge from this study is hoped to assist the school inspectors and administrators in designing effective practices for monitoring and evaluating curriculum implementation at classroom. The findings from this study may create awareness to the Ministry of Education to review its policies on school inspection, management and recruitment of quality assurance and standards officers.