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Socio-economic determinants of students dropout rate during COVID-19 pandemic times in public secondary schools in Lower Yatta-Sub County, Kitui County, Kenya.

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Socio-economic determinants of students dropout rate during COVID-19 pandemic times in public secondary schools in Lower Yatta-Sub County, Kitui County, Kenya. Authors: Musamu, Joyce Abstract: To contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic schools in Kenya just as in many other countries worldwide, educational institutions had to close temporarily. This study sought to examine the socio-economic determinants of students' dropout rate during COVID-19 pandemic times in public secondary schools in Lower Yatta-Sub County, Kitui County, Kenya. The study examined the influence of COVID-19 protocols, household income, peer pressure and parental level of education on students' dropout rate over the period of COVID-19 pandemic. The study adopted an ex post facto survey research design. The target population for the study constituted 28 principals and 247 teachers in public secondary schools in Lower Yatta Sub-county. Census was used to pick all the 25 principals as sample. A sample of 153 teachers was used in the study. Proportionate technique was used to determine the number of teachers to be included in the study in each school. Fish bowl sampling method was used to identify the specific teachers to be interviewed in each school. Both Qualitative as well as quantitative data were collected from the respondents’ using questionnaires. Piloting was done in three schools within the sub-county in order to ascertain the face validity of research instruments while content validity was done through expert judgement by university supervisors. A test re-test technique was used to assess the reliability of the research instruments. Pearson’s product moment correlation was employed to compute the correlation coefficient. Data was analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and involved descriptive statistical procedures for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data where data was transcribed into themes and reported in narratives. The analyzed data was presented using frequency distribution Tables, tabulation Tables, percentages. The findings of the study will be significant to education sector and stakeholders; principals, teachers, parents and students in the overall awareness and response measures for unforeseen pandemics and calamities such as COVID-19. The results and findings of the research were; The Pearson’s Product Correlation Co-efficient for teachers and principals indicated a positive relationship with r (150) = 0.640, p<0.05 and r (25) = 0.624, p<0.05 respectively between COVID-19 protocols and students' dropout rate, there is a strong positive relationship r (25) = 0.678, p<0.05 between household income and student’s dropout rate and there is a strong positive relationship r (25) = 0.721, p<0.05 between parental level of education and student’s dropout rate. Description: Master of Education, 2025

Head teachers’ management practices and learners’ academic performance in public primary schools in Makueni County, Kenya

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Head teachers’ management practices and learners’ academic performance in public primary schools in Makueni County, Kenya Authors: Mutua, Ann Mbula Abstract: In Makueni County, public primary schools have continued to post low mean scores in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations showing declining academic performance each year from 2017 to 2021. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess head teachers’ management practices on learners’ academic performance in public primary schools in Makueni County, Kenya. The specific objectives of this study were to determine the influence of head teacher’s instructional supervision on learners’ academic performance; to examine the influence of target setting on learners’ academic performance; to examine the influence of head teachers’ leadership styles on learners’ academic performance, and to establish the influence of teacher motivation on learners’ academic performance in public primary schools. The study used a descriptive research design. The target population was the 714 public primary schools in Makueni County. The sample size was 509 respondents comprising 74 head teachers, 428 teachers, and 7 quality assurance officers. The study took a census of all the head teachers in the 74 schools and the seven quality assurance officers while simple random sampling was used to select the 428 teachers. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. The pilot study was done in 7 schools located in the Kibwezi sub-County to test the study’s validity and reliability of the selected research instruments. The reliability results gave a Cronbach’s alpha which was above 0.7 for the questionnaire and thus the tool was valid for use in data collection. The quantitative data from the questionnaires was coded and entered into the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software which was used to generate descriptive statistics and conduct the Chi-Square test. The Chi-Square test p-value was set at a significant level of α = 0.05. Qualitative data was analysed through the content analysis method in line with the study’s objectives. The quantitative data was presented in bar graphs, pie charts, and tables while qualitative data was presented in narrative form. The study found that head teacher’s instructional supervision as shown by Chi-Square P-values of (0.03 < 0.05), target setting (0.03 < 0.05), leadership styles (0.04 < 0.05) and teacher motivation (0.03 < 0.05) as primary management practices had a significant influence on learners’ academic performance in public primary schools in Makueni County. Drawing from the quantitative data, the study further found that some head teachers did not check the teachers’ documents and assessment tools. Therefore, the study concluded that low levels of supervision of the curriculum and failure to validate teachers’ documents by some head teachers accounted for the poor performance among learners. Similarly, the study found that some head teachers did not have a plan for motivating teachers. The absence of these practices according to the study remained a contributing factor to low mean grades in public primary schools in Makueni County. Thus, the study recommends a review and update of policies regarding instructional supervision by the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). From the study findings, the study recommends the adoption of a leadership style that enhances communication, enhances collaboration between head teachers and their teachers to improve the performance of their schools, the study further recommends Quality Assurance to ensure that head teachers supervise teachers’ activities effectively including teaching documents to ensure good performance in their school. Headteachers, the Board of Management and the Parents Association are advised to initiate ways of motivating teachers to enhance the performance of their learners. Description: Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration, 2014

School based factors influencing implementation of special needs education curriculum in special needs units in public primary schools in Kitui west sub-county, Kenya

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Title: School based factors influencing implementation of special needs education curriculum in special needs units in public primary schools in Kitui west sub-county, Kenya Authors: Kimanzi, Videma Abstract: This study was carried out in Special Needs Units (SNUs) affiliated to public primary schools in Kitui - West sub county, Kenya. The study sought to establish some school based factors that could influence the implementation of Special Needs Education (SNE) curriculum in a bid to produce good outcomes and achievements for learners with special needs. In the study four factors that is; learning resources, the school physical environment, regular learners’ opinions and professional training of the teachers of SNE were identified and used to form the four objectives of this study. The objectives included; to establish the influence of learning resources on the implementation of SNE curriculum, to examine the influence of school physical environment on the implementation of SNE curriculum, to find out the influence of regular learner opinions in learning together with learners with SNE on the implementation of SNE curriculum and to determine the influence of professional training of teachers of SNE. The study was done based on the Input- Output Process theory by (Mc Donwell & Oakes, 1987) and the descriptive exploratory research design method was used to establish the influence of the factors being studied on educational implementation. The census sampling method, a technique that surveys all members of the population was applied getting participants who provided information in respect to objectives in which case all the 30 special needs education teachers in the 12 (twelve) SNUs were targeted. Three sets of instruments namely; the interview guide, checklist and observation schedule were used to collect data that was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data through tables, pie charts and bar graphs while qualitative data was organized into themes and explanations based on the study objectives and presented in narrative forms. Findings from the study revealed that; most of the required learning resources pertaining to SNE were either unavailable, inadequate or scanty in most of the cases while others were found obsolete and insignificant to the requirements of the new curriculum, the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) that came under use in 2017. Most of the schools’ physical environments lacked structures necessary for supporting curriculum implementation in SNE, barely with very little or no modifications made to make them barrier free, conducive and learner friendly. Opinions from the regular learners about learners with SNE depicted scenarios of isolation, discrimination and negativity to inclusive learning practices which were detrimental to SNE curriculum implementation. There was a deficiency of professional skill training amongst tutors of special needs education that resulted to ineffective, poor curriculum implementation procedures and methodologies that were antagonistic to learners’ academic achievements and outcomes. Among some of the recommendations and suggestions of the study were; that different stakeholders in education, people of good will and charitable organizations should support the sourcing and provision of learning materials in aid of SNE, that some of the Acts and provisions in Kenya regarding disability should be reviewed and enacted when planning learning environments and that the Ministry of Education should devise sensitization programs on inclusive practices to create disability awareness and accommodative practices among regular learners and the enhancement of teacher professional training in SNE considered. Description: Master of education in curriculum studies,2024

Administrative practices of principals and learner’s academic performance in public secondary schools in Katulani sub-county, Kitui county, Kenya

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Administrative practices of principals and learner’s academic performance in public secondary schools in Katulani sub-county, Kitui county, Kenya Authors: Mbaki, Lydia, M Abstract: I thank God for giving me the capacity to complete my study. I wish to express my gratefulness to my supervisors Dr. Selpher Cheloti and Dr. Antony Njue for their inspiration and scholarly guidance in writing this research project. My appreciation goes to Dr Gideon Kasivu, Dean School of Education and Dr. Janet Mulwa, Chairperson of the Department of Educational Administration and Planning for their critical guidance and encouragement. I would also want to appreciate other lecturers in the same department including Dr Francis Muya, Dr Rose Mwanza and Dr Redempta Kiilu for their instruction and constructive criticism. Special thanks go to my husband Benjamin Kilanga and our children Victor Mumo, Sandra Moraa, Charity Mutanu and Mercy Mwende for their patience, understanding, prayers and moral support. I am grateful to the South Eastern Kenya University Board of Postgraduate Studies, the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation, the Director of Education in Kitui County, the Sub-County Director of Education and the Deputy County Commissioner in Katulani Sub-County who gave me permission to collect data. I wish to recognize the commitment of all the respondents including school principals and teachers who spared time to provide data. Although I may not be able to personally thank everyone who helped me throughout my study period, please know that I am grateful for all you did. I pray that God richly blesses every one of you. Description: Master of education in educational administration, 2024