School Management and Academic Performance: A Comparison of Public and Private Schools in Wareng District, Kenya

Abstract

The study was carried to determine the level of variation in academic performance between public and private primary schools in Wareng District and the major possible causes of such variations. The main focus was on effectiveness of school management in supervising teachers. The study covered a total of 55 public and 17 private schools – distributed evenly among the five educational zones in the district. The figures translate to 52% and 68% of public and private schools respectively.

Data collection was by means of questionnaires administered to teachers and head teachers. Results on performance was collected from District Education Office. Performance in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (K.C.P.E) was used because it is a national examination and therefore devoid of any element of bias. The duration covered three years, 2007-2009 inclusive.

The findings of the study revealed that despite government investing generously in public schools; private schools outshined them due to inadequate supervision and motivation among public school teachers.