The relationship between head teachers\u27 classroom observation and academic Performance of primary schools in Mwingi central Sub County,Kitui County,Kenya

The study sought to investigate the relationship between head teachers’ supervision practices and academic performance in public primary schools of Mwingi Central Sub County, Kitui County, Kenya. Statement of the problem, poor academic performance in Public primary schools in Mwingi central Sub County where schools were registering low academic performance compared to other Sub counties. The specific objectives that guided the study was, to assess the influence of head teachers’ classroom observation on academic performance in public primary schools in Mwingi Central Sub-County. Literature was obtained from various books, study journals, articles and reports from both electronic and print media. The study applied the concurrent triangulation research design .The target population was 1368 ,From the three zones simple random sampling were applied in selecting 6 head teachers and 61 teachers. The study utilized questionnaires as data gathering tools where test -retest technique was used to test reliability of the research instruments and the Pearson product movement correlation Findings were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. The findings revealed that classroom observation practices by the head teachers were not taken seriously. From the study findings the study suggests the following; the ministry of education (MOE) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to employ strategies that are aimed at balancing the head teachers’ core functions to ensure that they have sufficient time for conducting instructional supervision practices. Also head teachers needs to play a mix between hands-on and delegated approaches of carrying out classroom supervision practices. CQASO should implement mechanisms to ensure that there is effective coordination in ensuring that classroom observations is done frequently to help in bridging the gaps that occur as a result of head teachers’ laxity

Development of high yielding potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) : genotypes with resistance to bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) for the Kenyan highlands.

Ph. D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2014.Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 (R3bv2A), is an important disease contributing to low potato yields in temperate areas and tropical highlands. In Kenya, the disease is widespread in most potato growing areas causing yield losses between 50 and 100%. Host plant resistance could be the best option for controlling the disease because other measures are costly, ineffective or impractical to deploy. The overall objective of this study was to contribute to improved food security in Kenya by developing potato cultivars that are resistant to bacterial wilt. The specific objectives of the study were to: (1) document farmers‘ practices, key potato production and marketing constraints, and to determine farmers‘ potato cultivar preferences, the prevalence of bacterial wilt in the major potato growing areas and farmers‘ management practices of bacterial wilt, (2) determine the response of the potato genotypes currently grown by farmers in Kenya as well as other clones from the international Potato Center (CIP) to bacterial wilt, (3) determine the genetic relationships among potato clones,(4) determine the combining ability effects for yield and yield related traits and bacterial wilt resistance of selected potato varieties and clones and their crosses, and (5) to estimate the magnitude of genotype x environment interaction (GEI) for potato tuber yield and bacterial wilt resistance. At the beginning, a participatory rural appraisal (PRA) was conducted in three major potato growing counties involving 253 potato growers in Kenya. Farmers varied in cultivar and trait preferences; in Bomet district the red-skinned Dutch Robyjn is widely grown. In Molo district, the white-skinned Cangi is prominent while in Meru Central, the red-skinned Asante is predominantly grown by farmers. The cultivar preferences are mostly dictated by availability of markets, yield potential and taste. Over 75% of respondents indicated that the major production constraints are diseases with bacterial wilt being the most prominent. Farmers use different methods in managing the disease in the field such as spraying with fungicides, roguing and burning the wilting plants, and burying of the rotten tubers after harvest. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate 36 potato genotypes for their response to bacterial wilt for three consecutive seasons between November 2011 and February 2013. The potato genotypes varied in their susceptibility to bacterial ii wilt and the most resistant genotypes were Kenya Karibu followed by Kenya Sifa. Twenty selected potato genotypes were evaluated for genetic variability using 24 SSR primer pairs selected based on high polymorphism. The SSR markers identified 160 alleles.The 20 potato clones were grouped into 3 clusters. Cluster I was composed of Meru Mugaruro, cluster II had CIP materials while local materials were in cluster III. Therefore, the SSR markers generated useful information that will assist in identifying parents to include in the breeding programme. Fourteen potato genotypes were identified as promising parents for further breeding based on their resistance to bacterial wilt. These parents were crossed in a North Carolina II mating design to generate 48 families for determining combining ability. Parents with highest general combining ability for bacterial wilt resistance were Ingabire, Meru Mugaruro, 391919.3, 394895.7 and 394903.5. These parents were selected for future crosses. In addition, nine crosses with the highest SCA effects for total tuber yield (TTW) at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, National Research Laboratories (KARI-NARL) were 394905.8 x Kihoro (31.94), 394903.5 x Kenya Karibu (31.46), 394904.9 x Meru Mugaruro (25.73), 394895.7 x Bishop Gitonga (15.37), 394905.8 x Cangi (13.06), 394895.7 x Tigoni (12.23), 394904.9 x Sherekea (11.44), 394895.7 x Sherekea (10.92) and 391919.3 x Tigoni (10.32) in that order. At Kinale, the nine crosses with the highest SCA effects for TTW were 394905.8 x Kihoro (27.13), 394903.5 x Kenya Karibu (24.37), 394904.9 x Meru Mugaruro (19.59), 394895.7 x Cangi (15.69), 3948957 x Bishop Gitonga (15.35), 394895.7 x Tigoni (11.93), 394904.9 x Sherekea (9.36), 392278.19 x Meru Mugaruro (9.10) and 391919.3 x Cangi (7.64) in that order. These crosses were selected for high tuber yield and will be evaluated in future. The GEI effects on 48 potato families were evaluated at two sites for two consecutive seasons (making a total of four environments). The potato families were ranked differently in terms of resistance against bacterial wilt across the four environments. The additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) 1 and genotype and genotype x environment (GGE) biplot models were used to determine yield stability. In terms of yield stability, family 20 (394905.8 x Kihoro) was closest to the ideal genotype; it was the highest yielding (104.7 t ha-1) and most stable; it was closely followed by family 43 (394903.5 x Kenya Karibu) which yielded 98.3 t ha-1. The environment ENVI 1(short rains of 2013 at Kinale) was the closest to ideal environment and therefore the most desirable of the four test environments. In general, the study identified valuable potato genotypes with high combining ability for tuber yield and bacterial wilt resistance. It also generated novel families which will be further evaluated

THE ROLE OF EMPLOYEES MOTIVATION ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE: A CASE STUDY OF HOSPITALITY DEPARTMENT, DEDAN KIMATHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, NYERI COUNTY

The main objective of the study was to establish the role of employee motivation on organization performance in hospitality department of Dedan Kimathi university of Technology. To establish this, the study focused on the determinants of employee motivation which included; staff training, career advancement, job security and employee remuneration. The study established the problem behind decreased organizational performance. The research aimed at attaining the following objectives; to determine how staff training influences organizational performance; to investigate how career advancement influence organizational performance; to assess how job security influences organizational performance; and to establish the role of employee remuneration on organizational performance in hospitality department of Dedan Kimathi university of Technology. In chapter two, the studies done previously on the problem area was reviewed and highlighted. The research discussed those determinants by use of a structured conceptual framework; the researcher brought out the relationship of how the determinants influence organization performance. In chapter three, the study used a descriptive case study research design and targeted the staff working in the hospitality department of Dedan Kimathi university of Technology. The study population was 200 employees from the hospitality department of Dedan Kimathi university of Technology. The data gathered was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively and thereby presented in form of tables, bar chart and pie charts according to the study variables. The findings of the study show that organization performance to prevail employee motivation has to be taken into consideration in the university human resource policies. The study found out that once employees are compensated timely, it boosts their energy levels, hence hospitality department performance. The hospitality department of the university needs to ensure that there is substantial remuneration for the departmental workers. The study found out that the hospitality department equips its workers regularly which influence the university service delivery, hence the performance. The study also found out that staff training affects the workforce ability to perform their various tasks in the hospitality department of the university. The study findings therefore establish positive relationship between staff training as a motivator to organization performance in the hospitality department of the university. From study findings it is evident that organization performance of the hospitality department in Dedan Kimathi University of Technology has a relationship on how the employees are motivated by the monetary compensation. From the study results it is evident that career advancement opportunities increase the employee morale to exert more effort in their job thereby boosting organization performance. Conclusively the respondents felt that staff training effect was 28.8%, remuneration at 40.4%, career advancement at 17.3% and job security had 13.5% of organization performance of the hospitality department. An interpretation of study results is that organization performance of the hospitality department in Dedan Kimathi University of Technology is mostly influenced by how the employees are remunerated, which motivates them to exert more effort hence increased department performance. More so the training of the staff also has a higher role as a motivator in influencing organization performance in the hospitality department of the university

Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections including HIV in street-connected adolescents in western Kenya

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to characterise the sexual health of street-connected adolescents in Eldoret, Kenya, analyse gender disparity of risks, estimate the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and identify factors associated with STIs. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of street-connected adolescents ages 12-21 years was conducted in Eldoret, Kenya. Participants were interviewed and screened for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, herpes simplex virus-2, syphilis and HIV. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with having any STI. RESULTS: Of the 200 participants, 81 (41%) were female. 70.4% of females and 60.5% of males reported sexual activity. Of those that participated in at least one STI test, 28% (55/194) had ≥1 positive test, including 56% of females; 14% (28/194) had >1 positive test. Twelve females and zero males (6% overall, 14.8% of females) were HIV positive. Among females, those with HIV infection more frequently reported transactional sex (66.7% vs. 26.1%, p=0.01), drug use (91.7% vs. 56.5%, p=0.02), and reported a prior STI (50.0% vs. 14.7%, p<0.01). Having an adult caregiver was less likely among those with HIV infection (33.3% vs. 71.0%, p=0.04). Transactional sex (AOR 3.02, 95% CI (1.05 to 8.73)), a previous STI (AOR 3.46 95% CI (1.05 to 11.46)) and ≥2 sexual partners (AOR 5.62 95% (1.67 to 18.87)) were associated with having any STI. CONCLUSIONS: Street-connected adolescents in Eldoret, Kenya are engaged in high-risk sexual behaviours and females in particular have a substantial burden of STIs and HIV. There is a need for STI interventions targeted to street-connected youth

Seizing on a mirage? : an analysis of public participation in Kenya in the constitutional transition period 2010-2016.

This thesis examines how the constitutional principle of public participation was actualised in Kenya under the 2010 Constitution. It uses a case study approach to examine the 2010-2016 constitutional transition period. The thesis is placed at the intersection of political science and public law, and draws evidence from examination of policy documents, national legislation county legislation, legal judgments and interviews with key informants. It explores how key public participation provisions contained in the Constitution of Kenya 2010 have been implemented in the constitutional transition period in which new legislation was enacted. The focus of this thesis is on public participation outside of elections: that is, on non-electoral participation. Examining the opportunities that exist in law for people to participate in public decision making between elections is particularly important given that the 2010 Constitution was passed against a history of deep struggle to achieve a greater voice for citizens in government. The objective of the new constitution was to devolve power to county level government and provide for more direct participation that would enhance accountability in Kenyan public life. This thesis offers an original contribution to knowledge on the implementation of public participation provisions under the 2010 Constitution. It does so in several ways. First, it identifies the new participatory legislative structures that have been realised in the constitutional transition period 2010–2016, and analyses the extent to which legislation has created a framework for ongoing opportunities for public participation in Kenya. Second, this thesis examines how public participation decisions have been determined by the courts, with a particular focus on county level decision making. Third, building on the analysis of court determinations, the thesis identifies emerging county models of public participation and assesses how effectively the aspirations for public participation as expressed in the Constitution are being achieved at the county level. The findings of this thesis indicate that while public participation legislative structures and guidelines have been developed extensively at a national level, only a few counties have established their own legislative structures to enable public participation. The findings also suggest that the differences in interpretation of public participation are leading to emerging models of public participation at the county level in the constitutional transition period. These models I have termed: “centralised coordination”, “integrative coordination” and “bi-symmetrical” models of public participation. In addition, the thesis examines court decisions that have been made regarding public participation and tests them using the decision-making framework derived from the common law. My analysis suggests that the courts have set a low standard for what is considered adequate public participation. The thesis also identifies some key tensions between representative democracy and aspirations for direct public participation under the 2010 Constitution. Finally, this thesis asks what would be required to achieve full non electoral public participation in the constitutional transition perod 2010-2016? It concludes that if the vision of full public participation as articulated in the Constitution 2010 is to be achieved then it is necessary not only to ensure a clear constitutional mandate for public participation, national and county legislation, and facilitative court decisions promoting public participation, but also a public prepared to participate in collective decision making

Reproductive health knowledge among college students in Kenya

Abstract Background Reproductive health knowledge is vital in the growth and development of young people and this impact greatly on their educational and personal outcome as they proceed to adulthood. There has been an increasing occurrence of sexually transmitted infections in institutions of higher learning. The study sought out the strategies used by university students to prevent unplanned pregnancy and determined their knowledge of contraception methods and sexually transmitted infections in Mount Kenya University, main campus. Methods Stratified sampling was employed. After a signed consent was obtained, a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were explored, analyzed and percentages used to quantify the level of knowledge. Pearson’s chi-square was used to measure associations between categorical variables and independent t-test used to measure the means and relationships of continuous variables. Results Condom use was established as the most prevalent strategy in prevention of unplanned pregnancy at 48.5 and 46.4% in prevention of STI and HIV/AIDS. Almost two thirds (58%) of respondents reported that they were conversant with only one method of contraception, 60% had knowledge of more than two types of STIs, and 62.4% indicated that they were conversant with only hospitals as facilities providing reproductive health services. Conclusion Young people in college require educational initiatives to sensitize them on STI, methods of contraception and positive social behaviors. There is need to improve the accessibility of reproductive health services through strengthening of services provided at campus health clinics