Influence of principals’ leadership practices on school climate in secondary schools in Marakwet East Sub County, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya

Abstract

School climate is one of the major spheres of education. A positive school climate is critical in enhancing productivity as well as influencing school members’ stay and satisfaction within the school environment. Prioritizing on its improvement is therefore commendable to ensure it fulfills the academic desires of school individuals and that it meets the ideal learning and teaching conditions of students and teachers. This study sought to establish the influence of principals’ leadership practices on school climate in secondary schools in Marakwet East subcounty, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya. The research objectives that guided this study were: to establish the influence of the principals’ safety practices on school climate; determine the influence of the principals’ teaching and learning practices on school climate; investigate the influence of the principals’ interpersonal practices on school climate; analyze the influence of theprincipals’ institutional environment practices on school. An effective model by Lezotte (2010) guided the study. The study area was chosen owing to the poor students’ academic outcomes in the national examinations and other indicators of unfavourable learning conditions experienced in schools. Teachers, students, and principals were targeted in the study. The sub-county has twenty (20) schools with a population of 20 principals, 161 teachers, and 2821 students. The study used proportionate, purposive, and simple random sampling techniques to select participants. The study was carried out in seven secondary schools selected randomly. A total number of 48 teachers, 282 students, and 7 principals were sampled from the seven schools. This study adopted a concurrent triangulation mixed-method design. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data. Quantitative data were analyzed by use of both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics included a presentation by use of tables and outlining percentages. The inferential statistics comprised of Pearson product moment and multiple regressions. The multiple regression model, (R2= .545) shows that principals’ leadership practices account for 54.5% of variations in school climate. The principals’ safety practices (β1= 0.229), principals’ teaching and learning practices (β2= 0.211), principals’ interpersonal practices (β3= 0.327), and principals’ institutional environment practices (β4= 0.344) had a significant influence on school climate. The principals’ safety, teaching, and learning, interpersonal and institutional environment practice positively influenced school climate. The study revealed that most principals’ safety practices could not adequately restore order, discipline nor guarantee physical, emotional, and social safety in schools, most principals’ teaching, and learning practices seemed not to be giving assets and backing to both the teachers and students, there existed a relationship breakdown among and between school individuals. The findings also highlighted that most schools could not provide adequate sanitary facilities, have poor playgrounds and working conditions. The study recommended that principals’ safety practices be configured by ensuring proper measures are put forward to address the safety needs of the school members, principals’ teaching and learning practices be streamlined to ensure the easy provision of both material and non-material resources necessary for teaching and learning, principals’ interpersonal practices demonstrate a collaborative work environment with all the school’s stakeholders. Finally, the study recommends that principals’ institutional environment practices prioritize the aesthetic conditions of the schools. The study also provided an avenue for further research on other influencers of school climate.