A study of educational management practices in secondary schools and their implications for in-service training of head teachers: a survey of Kitui and Machakos districts, Kenya

Abstract

Scholars, policy makers and practitioners in education unanimously recognise the dire need for effective and efficient management of educational institutions. Effective management becomes a necessity if most of the developing countries are to realise their national goals of education. Translating the foregoing goals of education into a reality calls for planning at both the policy level and institutional level. Planning and educational standards at both institutional and national level have been unsatisfactory in majority of the cases as attested to by a number of studies. Morumbasi (1993), Koech (1994), Wachira (1996), Kalai (1998), Koech report (1999), Onyango (2001) and Irungu (2002) attributed worsening professional underperformance in secondary schools to appointment of head teachers without systematic preparation for their managerial roles, rapidly changing management environment, dwindling resources among other factors. Given the foregoing scenario, a need exists to determine trends in educational management practices in secondary schools. 1.2 Statement of the problem: “A study of Educational Management practices in Secondary schools and their Implications for inservice training of Head teachers: A survey of Kitui and Machakos Districts, Kenya.” 1.3 Objectives of the study: The study formulated the following objectives to identify various strengths and weakness in educational management practices in secondary schools: 1. to find out whether significant differences existed in secondary schools’ educational management practices’ mean scores in: a) Curricular Design and Planning and School categories; b) Curricular Transaction and Evaluation and School categories; c) Research, Development and Extension and School categories; d) Infrastructure and Learning Resources and School categories; e) Students’ support and progression and School categories f) School Management and Organisation and School categories.