Human Resource Information System and Performance of Staff: a Case of the Teachers Service Commission,Samburu County, Kenya

Abstract

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has the constitutional mandate of managing professional teachers in the Kenyan educational environment. As a result, it has developed the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) to provide an electronic database of staff data and information. HRIS has the four online portals of Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD), Teacher Management Information System (TMIS), Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS), and Teacher Online Payslip (TPAY). The study investigates the influence of the four HRIS portals on the performance of TSC staff in Samburu County. The descriptive survey is based on a population of 817 TSC staff, across different job categories and in different learning institutions and offices. The sample size is 83, which is approximately 10% of the population. An important research assumption is that the sample is representative of the TSC staff population in Samburu. The identified data collection method was telephone survey, which was conducted between November 5 and 18, 2020. Instrument piloting was done on 1% of the population, which is 8 respondents, to determine validity and reliability.Construct validity was done based on the measurement of the five performance indicators of professional knowledge and practice, code of conduct, Comprehensive Learning Environment (CLE), Professional Learning Community (PLC), and career development. Reliability was determined using the test-retest method, and the calculation of the Cronbach’s coefficient alpha value of 0.9152 that illustrates satisfactory research tool. Permission was obtained from the TSC County Director, Samburu County, to engage the 83 TSC staff in the data collection exercise. Consent was obtained from the participants before the data collection process, and they were assured of confidentiality. The independent and dependent variables of the study were the level of usage of the HRIS portals of TPAY, TMIS, HRMIS, and TPAY, and level of staff performance respectively. The mediating variable was identified as the level of staff motivation, as it is a factor in the determination to achieve set work and professional goals. The data analysis was done using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical measure. The hypotheses testing at a confidence interval of 95% and a significance level of 0.05 revealed a p-value of 0.00004. The null hypothesis Ho was rejected, and the alternate hypothesis H1 was supported. Thus, there is a statistically significant relationship between the use of the HRIS portals and the performance of TSC staff in Samburu County.Important recommendations from the study are for TSC and educational stakeholders to put more investments in the development of school Internet infrastructure, regular training of staff,development of HRIS mobile app to facilitate career development and performance of staff, and complete automation of routine staff management processes. Further research should be done on the influence of TPAD on the career progression of TSC staff in Samburu County. Key Words: Human Resource Information System, Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development, Teachers Online Payslip, Human Resource Management Information System, Teacher Management Information System, Staff Motivation, Staff Performance, and Performance