Influence of principals’ management practices on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Mombasa county, Kenya

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the influence of principals’ management practices on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Mombasa County, Kenya. The research objectives sought to investigate the influence of student discipline, capacity building, provision of teaching and learning resources, and supervision of teachers on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Mombasa County. The study used the effective school theory model by Lezotte (2010). The study adopted a descriptive design. The target population included 33 principals and a sample of 248 teachers. A census sample was used to select all 33 Principals from the study and a stratified sampling technique was used to select 248 teachers. The study had an overall response rate of both Principals and teachers of’ 89.7 percent this was accredited to researcher’s willingness to make direct contact with the respondents. For all 33 school principals from sampled schools a census was used due to their small number; Mombasa County has 33 public secondary schools with the classification of 17 mixed/day,2 boarding (boys) and 6 single day schools (boys) and 8 single day schools (girls) public secondary day Schools. Due to the population characteristics, the study used a stratified sampling technique to stratify the population into three strata as follows; mixed day/boarding schools, mixed day, and single gender (boys and girls) schools. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the findings were displayed using frequency distribution tables, bar graphs, and pie charts. The qualitative data collected from openended items were grouped into themes focused on the study's goals and presented in narrative form. From the study findings, it was established that the principal can influence a teacher to enhance quality teaching and learning whose outcome is good academic performance. For students to score above average teachers should be resourceful in their collection, preparation, and use of teaching materials, according to the report, in a move to minimize cost in the development and maintenance of resources and materials. Teachers should manage the students professionally to promote active student participation in learning. The government should ensure equitable distribution of resources and learning materials to all public secondary schools for successful learning and teaching in urban areas to increase students' academic performance. Principals should use management practices to enhance performance in public secondary schools.