HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING DYNAMICS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UPGRADED NATIONAL SCHOOLS IN WESTERN KENYA COUNTIES
Abstract
This paper looks at the human resource dynamics influencing performance of public secondary schools that were upgraded in Kenya. When they were upgraded, it was expected that performance of these schools would improve but analysis of data over the recent years showed fluctuation in performance. This paper therefore investigates the extent to which aspects of human resource provision and availability could explain the performance trend of eight upgraded national schools in Western region of Kenya. The study used a mixed method research approach with the target population the target population were 263 teachers and 8 principals from teachers in the 8 upgraded national schools. The sample size was 156 respondents purposively sampled for principals and heads of departments, while teachers were sampled using random sampling technique. Data was collected through observation checklist, interview schedule and questionnaire. The instruments were tested for validity and reliability through piloting in the extra county schools that were upgraded from county schools in the region. Data analysis was done using quantitative and qualitative measures. Research results showed that there was significant change (7.5%) in teacher staffing distribution in the above mentioned schools. analysis of data showed that to cover the human resource shortfall gap, schools employed teachers on contract basis. Despite the initiative taken by secondary schools to bridge the human resource shortfall, they did not post significant improvement in academic performance of their students in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examinations. The research concluded that human resource supply did not match the demand (number of enrolled learners) in upgraded national schools and this did not significantly impacted on academic performance (p>0.05). The paper recommends that Teachers Service Commission should post more teachers to upgraded national schools to match the curriculum standards. Moreover, schools’ boards of management need to provide opportunity for training and attendance of career development workshops by their teachers to improve their knowledge, skills and competencies in classroom instruction to meet the demands of globalised world.
Article visualizations:
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Akinyi A. O. & Odongo, J. A. (2015). Influence of the Working Conditions of the Support Staff on their Work Performance in Secondary Schools in Rarieda Sub-County, Kenya. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 4(1), 227 – 246.
Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods (5th Ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Caena, F. (2011). Literature review Quality in Teachers’ continuing professional development. Education and training, 9(1), 55-72.
Crawford, K. M. (2016). Developing the Whole Teacher: A Phenomenological Case Study of Student Teachers’ Emotions in One Teacher Education Programme. Doctoral Dissertation, George Southern University.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2012). Powerful teacher education: Lessons from exemplary programs. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Ipata, J. (2011). Cost saving measures on access, retention and performance in public secondary schools in KCSE examination in Teso District. Unpublished M.ED Project. Kenyatta University.
Ivancevich, J., Konopaske, R. & Matteson, M. (2007). Organisational Behaviour and Management. Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies.
Jaiyeoba, A. O. & Atanda, A. I. (2003). School Quality Factors and Secondary Schools Students’ Achievement in Mathematics in South Western Nigeria. The African Symposium, 11(1), 91 – 100.
Lasoi, J. C., Okoth U. & Nelson, M. (2017). Board of Managements’ Initiatives Influencing Quality Education in Secondary Schools in Kajiado, Kenya. Journal of Education, 1(3), 11 – 25.
Lucas, A. M. & Mbiti, I. M. (2014). Effects of School Quality on Student Achievement: Discontinuity Evidence from Kenya, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, 6(3), 234-263.
Lumuli, N. C. (2009). An Investigation into Internal Efficiency Measures in Promotion of Access and Completion Rates in Public Secondary Schools in Bungoma South District. Unpublished MED Thesis, University of Nairobi.
Mbatia, P. (2004). FPE Assessment Report. Nairobi: The Jomo Kenyatta Foundation.
Michaelowa, K. (2003). Determinants of Primary Education Quality: What we learn from PASEC for Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa. Biennale Meeting of Association for Development of Education in Africa. Grand Baie, Mauritius, December 3rd – 6th.
Mobegi, F., Ondigi, B., & Oburu, P. (2010). Secondary school head teachers’ quality assurance strategies and challenges in Gucha district, Kenya. Educational Research and Reviews, 5(7), 408- 414.
Muthoni, J. N. (2015). Effectiveness of Secondary School Principals in Management of Human Resources: A Case of Mathioya District, Murang’a County, Kenya. MED Project, Kenyatta University, Kenya.
Mutiso, C. & Kilika, J. M. (2017). Using Human Resource Management Practices to Predict Quality Service Delivery: Case of Public Secondary Schools in Kenya. International Journal of Business and Management, 12(10), 121-131.
Nyaboga, N. E., Ondieki P. O. & Ajowi, J. (2015). Analysis of Working Conditions of Support Staff in Public Secondary Schools in Nyamira County, Kenya. International Journal for Innovation Education and Research, 3(8), 132 – 144.
Nzoka, J. T., & Aluko, J. O. (2014). School Management and Students’ Academic Performance: How Effective are Strategies being Employed by School Managers in Secondary Schools in Embu North District, Embu County, Kenya? International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 4(9), 86-99.
Okumbe, J. A. (2011). A Study of the Impact of the centre for Corporate Governance Training Programmes on Corporate Governance Practices by Kenyan Corporations. Nairobi: University of Nairobi.
Oluwakemi, A. C. (2011). Teacher personnel management as determinant of teacher productivity in Oyo Metropolis Senior Secondary Schools Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 8, 39-42
Onyara, B. N. (2013). School Based Factors Influencing Students Academic Performance at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in Teso South District. MED Project, University of Nairobi.
Osagie, R. O. & Okafor, C. J. (2015). Relationship between Human Resources Management Variables and the Academic Performance of Students in Secondary Schools in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 5(1), 323 – 328.
Performance Appraisal Systems in Private Universities in Kenya: An Assessment of Kabarak University Performance Appraisal Systems in Africa Journal of Business Management, 1(6), 123-134.
Puangjakta, J. & Vinitwatanakhun, W. (2015). A Study of Teachers’ Perceptions toward Human Resource Management in an International School in Prawet District, Bangkok, Thailand. Assumption University, Thailand.
Republic of Kenya (2012). The Policy Framework for Re-aligning education to the Constitution 2010 and Vision 2030 and Beyond. Ministry of Education Science and Technology.
UNESCO (2008). Challenges of Implementing Free Day Secondary Schools in Kenya: Experiences from one District. Nairobi: UNESCO.
Wilson, S. M. (2011). Effective Stem Teacher Preparation, Induction and Professional Development. Michigan: Michigan State University.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v7i7.3179
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2020 Violet Wekesa, Kisilu Kitainge
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright © 2015-2023. European Journal of Education Studies (ISSN 2501 - 1111) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All authors who send their manuscripts to this journal and whose articles are published on this journal retain full copyright of their articles. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
