Headteachers’ instructional leadership and its effect on academic performance in public primary schools in Ol’lessos Division in Nandi County, Kenya.

Abstract

The head teacher has many roles; being a manager, administrator, curriculum leader and instructional leader. However, it should be understood that the core business of a school is instruction thus head teachers’ instructional leadership is crucial hence the focus of the study. The purpose of this study was to establish head teachers’ instructional leadership and its effect on academic performance in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in Ol’lessos Division. The objectives were; to identify head teachers leadership style, to explore the influences of head teachers’ instructional supervision; to assess the influence of head teachers in monitoring progress and evaluation of pupils on academic performance, to examine the influence of instructional Environment on academic performance and to establish the relationship between the selected instructional practices and academic performance in KCPE. The study was based on a theory of leadership developed by House known as Path – Goal theory. Research design adopted for the study was descriptive survey. The target population comprised of the 40 head teachers, 259 teachers of 40 Public Primary schools in Ol’lessos Division and the Divisional CSO. Stratified and proportionate sampling techniques were used. Using the techniques, 19 schools participated in the study. The teachers were selected using simple random sampling technique; hence a total of 78 teachers formed the sample. The CSO and the head teachers were purposively selected. Questionnaires, interview schedules and document analysis were used for data collection. The validity of research instruments was ensured as items examined by supervisors and fellow students in the department of educational management and policy studies. The reliability of the instrument was determined through test re-test technique. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically while quantitative data was analyzed using frequencies and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The study revealed that head teachers’ instructional leadership practices influence the performance in KCPE. The findings of this study areof benefit to head teachers, stakeholders and the ministry of education which has interest in performance of schools in national examination. This study recommends that head teachers should improve on these selected instructional leadership practices for improved performance in KCPE examinations.