| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to investigate the staff personnel management concerns in private schools in Kasarani Division of Nairobi Province. The Study had three objectives, which included determination of the causes of management problems facing headteachers of private secondary schools; determination of the personnel management concerns of private secondary schools and also suggestion of way~ of dealing with these management problems.
In order to achieve these objectives, research questions were formulated to guide the study. The research questions focused on the challenges faced by headteachers in private schools and their concerns with regard to personnel management and the solutions to these management problems.
The literature review covered areas concerned with management of staff. These included the quality of principals, legislation concerning private schools in Kenya, job design, basic human resource plans, strategic planning and tactical planning. Other areas of review included teachers as basic resources and recruitment, which was reviewed. The concept of motivation and motivational needs of employees were also examined whereby Herzberg's two-factor theory was examined in detail. Other theories, which were reviewed, included the Equity Theory and the Expectancy 'Theory.
The study used an ex-post facto design with data collected from one hundred and forty private school teachers who were selected through random sampling from a list of eligible teachers from the Division. The strata of the secondary schools were: Private Girls' Boarding, Private Girls' Boarding and Day, Private Boys' Boarding and Day, Mixed Boarding and Mixed Boarding and Day schools.
This study used questionnaires to gather data from the selected sample. The questionnaire used in this study was divided into three parts. Part A sought to gather bio data of the respondents such as age, gender, and qualification both academic and professional. Part B sought to find out practical staff development strategies, which have been used to develop the staff in these schools. Part C of the questionnaire dealt with job satisfaction and appraisal of the staff attitudes towards various aspects of personnel management.
The research instrument was validated using the results of the pilot study and
expert judgment of the university supervisor through his comments on the clarity of the instrument and content converge.
The questionnaires return rate was 100% and the data was analysed and were described using frequencies and percentages, conclusions and recommendations were made based on the results of the analysed data.
On the basis of the analysed data, the following conclusions were made:
There are staff personnel management concerns in private secondary schools in
Kasarani Division, Nairobi Province. Although the Kenyan Government has tried
to regulate and control mushrooming of private schools, these schools have
continued to mushroom in Kasarani Division and with them exist staff personnel management concerns.
Most teachers from these schools feel demotivated to work due to low salaries as compared to their counterparts in the public sector. The teachers lack personal attachment to the schools and view their schools as a stepping-stone as they await better careers. This was expressed by the overwhelming number (100%) who expressed interest to quit their jobs if given the opportunity.
There is need for private secondary school teachers to have a union. The union would then bargain for better terms for members. This is crucial to enhance job satisfaction among teachers and promote professional growth is terms of staff training and development.
Private secondary schools in Kasarani Division lack welfare association for their teachers. These welfare associations are important for staff cohesion and to make teachers have a feeling of belonging to the school.
Teachers m Kasarani Division are rarely rewarded for outstanding work. The teachers are therefore disillusioned and this has compromised academic performance of students in these schools.
Most teachers in Kasarani Division lack appropriate professional experience necessary for discharging teaching duties. The professional experience of most of the teachers range between two and three years. The management of these schools appears not ready to pay better salaries that would attract more experienced staff.
The following recommendations were made based on the above conclusions:
Teachers of private secondary schools in Kasarani Division should be paid better salaries, which is appropriate with the kind of work they do.
Teachers of private secondary schools should have a union that would bargain for better terms of service on their behalf.
All teachers in private secondary schools should be registered by the TSC and the government should set the minimum wage guidelines for them.
Private secondary schools owners should organise seminars, workshops and in-service courses more often for their teachers.
The quality assurance department of the Ministry of Education, Science and
Technology should visit private secondary schools more often to inspect the type of work that is going on in these schools.
Private secondary schools that operate without the consent of the Ministry of
Education, Science and Technology should be closed down.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology should regulate levies charged in private schools.
The following suggestions were made for further research:
1. Influence of teachers' professional experience on academic performance of students.
2. Effects of poor salaries on job satisfaction. | en |
