Influence of Examinations on Principals' Instructional Leadership Practices in Public Secondary Schools in Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

Examinations have been seen as a measuring tool for both quality of education and the principals' effort in schools. Principals being the managers of the school and instructional leaders have been made accountable for the tests scores achieved by the students hence creating pressure on them. The target of this research therefore, was to explore on whether influence of examinations affect the principals' instructional leadership practices in Nakuru County Nakuru North sub-county. This research was anchored on four objectives: - To investigate the influence of examinations on the principals' role of allocating instructional resources, to determine the influence of examinations on the principals' role of monitoring learners' academic progress. This study was anchored on transactional leadership theory that was described by Max Weber (1947) and Bernard Bass (1981) which focuses on organizing, controlling and short-term planning. It incorporates providing of resources, motivation and directing followers to attain goals. The study used descriptive study design since it enables one to get detailed opinion which can be used to facilitate generalization of findings with large population. The target population comprised 35 public secondary principals, 497 teachers and 19, 625 students from all public secondary schools in Nakuru North sub-county. Through simple random sampling 18 public secondary schools were sampled which led to 18 public secondary school principals being sampled. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to sample 149 teachers. Stratified and systematic sampling techniques were used to sample 1962 students to take part in the study. Data was gathered using questionnaires and interview schedules. Piloting of these tools was conducted in four schools which were within the researcher's target population to determine content and face validity. The reliability coefficient was arbitrated using Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient, with the help of SPSS and Microsoft Excel. Descriptive statistics was employed in analyzing quantitative data through measuring of frequencies, percentages and means and presented in tables, graphs and charts. Qualitative data was analyzed through data being; organized based on objectives, coded based on similarities, validated and finally logical conclusions were made. The study established that examination influenced principals to allocate instructional resources that focus on formative and summative assessments; examinations were found to encourage principals to monitor academic progress of the students. However, in some schools the principals were not able to monitor academic progress. Examinations were also found to influence principals' supervision of teaching process whereby principals supervised learning process in order to post good academic results. Principals motivated their teachers by taking them to field trips, giving teachers money and organizing professional development seminars. In supposition, the researcher found that examination influence principal's instructional leadership in public secondary schools in Nakuru North Sub County. The study recommends that the ministry of education should organize academic trips for the teachers after posting good academic results. Principals should monitor academic progress of the students regularly to ensure students acquire relevant learning outcomes. Contemporary teacher motivation strategies should be embraced to ensure schools do not permit examinations cheating as a result of monetary rewards. Ministry of education should ensure learning is not based on rote learning and examination scores but skills as well as knowledge acquisition.