Challenges facing principals on their roles as human resource managers in secondary schools in Nandi County Kenya.

Abstract

Skills and knowledge is a prerequisite for any given activity or labor to be performed. Acquisition of these skills and knowledge are significantly important because most of the function of an organization cannot be realized without them. Most literature indicates that experience and level of education are the yard stick used to appoint any principal of secondary school from professional teachers. Despite the fact that they are professionally trained as teachers, they carry out educational management roles and the roles which are meant for professionally trained Human Resource Managers (HRM). We acknowledge the multiplicity of these roles played by them though the muddling of the whole process make them face numerous challenges. This study therefore was an evaluation of current challenges faced by principals as human resources managers in secondary schools in Nandi County. The research addressed the following objectives: to establish the roles carried out by principals as Human Resource Managers in secondary schools; to identify the kind of training the principals undergo after being appointed; to determine the challenges encountered by the principals as human resource managers as they carry out their roles and to explore various ways of solving challenges faced by principals as human resource managers. The study was modeled on Burns and Stalk Contingency theory which focuses on how management system might change in response to demands of rapidly changing environment. Survey research design was used. The target population was 140 secondary school principals drawn from Nandi County. Census sampling was used to select the study sample. Data collection was done using self-administered questionnaire. Coding of responses was done using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) for windows Version 16. Analysis of the data was done through descriptive statistics. Data was presented in form of frequency tables and charts. The study revealed that the principals as human resource managers in the learning institution experience many challenges corresponding to the day to day work of a Human Resource Manager. These included challenges on recruitment of the staff, empowerment of the staff, team management and career development because of inadequate training. These challenges therefore hinder the principal in carrying out the roles of HRM in secondary schools. This study contributes to the field of knowledge on the importance of training any labor for any activity to be performed with minimal challenges. Therefore, the study recommends human resource management courses to be introduced to any teacher training college to equip them with HRM skills.