Communication on implementation of performance contracting in the teaching profession: a study of Uasin Gishu County, Kenya.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to interrogate communication on implementation of performance contracting in the teaching profession, particularly among public secondary school teachers in Uasin Gishu County in Kenya. The study was prompted by an apparent stalemate existing between two sets of communicants, the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) on one hand, and teachers on the other, on the issue of Performance Contracts (PCs). This study addressed the following research questions: what messages have been communicated to teachers on the implementation of PCs in the teaching profession? How has communication about the implementation of PCs in the teaching profession been managed? Lastly, what are the perceptions of key stakeholders in the MoEST on communication about performance contracting in the teaching profession? The study was justified by the lack of research-based information on the use of communication strategies in the implementation of PCs in Kenya. The study used the qualitative case study design and purposive sampling to identify 28 participants from the three sub counties that constitute Uasin Gishu County from whom data was generated using interviews. The data obtained was then analyzed thematically and presented according to the research questions. The findings show that there is a communication stalemate between the TSC (government) and teachers on the implementation of PCs precipitated by a lack of appropriate communication strategy. Further, the findings indicate that teachers and other stakeholders perceive improved communication strategies as the solution to the stalemate on implementation of PCs in the teaching profession. The implication of this study for the TSC is that there is need to dialogue and educate teachers on the importance of PCs as an effective management tool in the country. The main contribution of this study is that it demonstrates the importance of communication as a strategy for policy implementation in the institutional management chain.