Employees’ critical success factors in curriculum delivery in technical vocational education and training institutions in north rift region, Kenya.

Abstract

TVET institutions continue to face quality related challenges despite the wide adoption of ISO standards. This has compromised curriculum delivery hence people completing academic qualifications from Technical Vocational Educational Training (TVET) institutions have shown inadequate hands-on skills which are not in tandem with demands of industry. Employees’ critical success factors are key to quality service delivery. Many scholars have determined critical success factors (CSF) for implementation of TQM in several sectors, nevertheless limited studies correlated employees’ CSFs to curricullum delivery in TVET institutions in the Kenyan context. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of employees’ CSFs on curriculum delivery. The study sought to: evaluate the extent to which ISO training influences curriculum delivery; analyze the extent to that employees’ involvement affect curriculum delivery; determine the extent to which employees’ commitment to quality influences curriculum delivery; examine the extent to which communication process influence curriculum delivery and to establish the extent to which employee’s recognition influences curriculum delivery. The study was grounded by theory of performance (ToP) and ADKAR Model. This study applied a mixed methodology and sequential explanatory research procedures where both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. The study targeted all teaching staff of TVET institutions with an accessible population of 824 respondents. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the ISO certified TVET institutions in North Rift Region while Stratified, proportionate, simple random sampling was used to obtain a sample size of 281 respondents for the study. Structured questionnaire and unstructured interview guide were used to collect primary data. Validity was tested by consulting the supervisors in critically examine items. The research instrument was tested for reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha. Data collected was cleaned, coded into statistical package for social scientists (SPSS) version 25.Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics. For inferential statistics Pearson Correlation, simple and multiple regressions were used. Qualitative data was organised and classified thematically and then reported in narrations and quotations. The findings of this study showed that, all the five variables, jointly explained 89.8 per cent variation (R2= 0.898) of critical success factors in predicting curriculum delivery at 5% level of significance. All the study variables had a positive and significant correlation with curriculum delivery. In conclusion based on ADKAR model critical success factors significantly influence curriculum delivery. The study recommended that institutional management of TVET institutions should deliberately discuss critical success factors as well as make efforts in monitoring and evaluation. The critical success factors discussed in this study may provide the Government of Kenya important information that could help the Ministry of Education in policy development with specific focus to TVET sector.