Institutional Factors Influencing Learners’ Involvement In Management Of Public Primary Schools In Makadara District Nairobi County

Abstract

Involvement in school management is one of the many innovations and reforms in educational system over a long time. The purpose of this study was to investigate institutional factors influencing learners‟ involvement in management of public primary schools high school and also pursue college education and to have emotional well-being. The study specific objectives were to determine learners‟ attitude towards involvement in school management in public primary schools, to determine teachers attitude towards learners‟ involvement in management of public primary schools and to establish how the leadership style of the headteacher affect learners‟ involvement in management of public primary schools in Makadara District. This research study used a descriptive survey research design. The target population is 26 schools, 26 headteachers, 26 deputy headteachers, 438 teachers, and 9000 learners from public primary schools in Makadara District. This study used questionnaires to collect data. Data was coded and entered using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentages and presented in tables and percentages. Most learners had some leadership positions in the school and this included class prefects/ monitors and other forms of leadership in school management mostly in the pupils‟ cabinet. There were signboards in the various schools that prompted involvement of the learners in the school management and this included the schools mission and vision, emergency assembly point and the no smoking signboards. There was pupils‟ cabinet in their schools and on the electors of these pupils cabinets, included the learners‟, teachers and while parents contributed little to the election of pupils cabinet in the school sampled. Pupils cabinet held meetings and the rest of pupils respected these cabinets. There was good teacher/pupil relationship among the various schools though there were various forms of punishments that included beating and use of bad language that contradicted to the previous findings. It was established that parents were allowed to come to schools and mostly twice and parents/ guardians assisted them in learning. Teachers and the headteachers were aware of learner‟s involvement in school management and the sources of the idea/information of learner‟s involvement in school management were workshops and seminars. The main challenge in learners involvement in the management of schools was reluctance, inadequate of involvement while among the headteachers, they indicated that the main challenge was inadequate of involvement. The study recommends that public and private school teachers would be sensitized through seminars and workshops on the importance students government and their involvements or involvement in school management. The parents involvement in school management would also be promoted as they form key stakeholders in running of these institutions and thus their representation in school management is crucial