Headteachers’ role in the management of educational resources and pupils’ performance at Kenya certificate of Primary Education Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine head teachers’ role in the management of educational resources and pupils’ performance at Kenya Certificate of Primary Education performance in public primary schools in Kasarani division. The study investigated the relationship between physical facilities, instructional materials and teaching personnel as the independent variables in the management of educational resources in relation to pupils’ performance at KCPE as the dependent variable. The study delimited itself to public primary schools in Kasarani. Literature review related to head teachers’ management role of educational resources and pupils performance at KCPE was provided. The study is based on Fredrick I lertzberg’s two factor theories of hygiene and motivation. Survey research design was used. The target population was 25 public primary schools, 25 head teachers, 324 teachers, and 28,359 pupils in Kasarani division. Stratified random sampling method was used to select a sample size of 15 head teachers, 65 teachers, and 90 pupils making a total of 170 respondents. Questionnaires for head teachers, teachers, pupils and an observation checklist were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics was used to collect quantitative data and qualitative data were organized into categories and themes with the assistance of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme and the results presented in form of tables and graphs.

The findings of the study were that; poor management of physical facilities, instructional materials and teaching personnel by the head teachers greatly contributed to poor pupils’ performance at KCPE in most ol the primary schools in the division. Even where some schools are properly equipped with some of these resources, poor management had watered down any significant contribution to enhancement of education as can be seen by the continuous dismal pupils’ poor KCPE performance in the division as indicated in table 1.1. With the management of instructional materials, majority of the head teachers, teachers, and pupils stated that most of the schools in the division were adequately equipped with textbooks. Most of the schools had majority of the pupils sharing the textbooks in the ratio of either 1.1 or 2.1 which meant that they are well stocked with textbooks and they only need to be properly managed to improve pupils’ KCPE performance in Kasarani public primary schools. On the management of teaching personnel, majority of the teachers in the division are professionally qualified to perform their duties since majority have at least a diploma certificate. Majority of the head teachers assessed teachers work on monthly basis and did not participate in the actual teaching of pupils and insufficient management of teachers might have resulted in dismal pupils’ performance at KCPE in Kasarani division. According to the findings of the study majority of the schools are well equipped with educational resources but imprudent management of physical

facilities, instructional materials and teaching personnel by the head teachers has greatly contributed to poor pupils’ performance at KCPE in most ot the primary schools in the division as indicated in table 1.1. Even where some schools are properly equipped with some of these resources, poor management has watered down any significant contribution to enhancement of education as can be seen by the continuous dismal pupil results in the division. The conclusion of the study was that prudent head teacher’s management role of educational resources was important in enhancing improved educational performance of pupils at KCPE in public primary schools in Kasarani division. Key recommendations of the study were: Ministry of Education should ensure that schools have enough physical facilities and other school resources necessary for the teaching/leaming process, head teachers to always attend to school activities and to supervise teachers effectively and to deal with pupils’ truancy in order to improve pupils’ performance at KCPE in Kasarani public primary schools.