Evaluation of Implementation of the Revised Kiswahili Curriculum: A Case of a Teachers’ College in Kenya

The revised Kiswahili curriculum is a curriculum in which Kiswahili subject is compulsory and a teacher trainee is expected to pass in the subject in order to be awarded the certificate of Primary Teacher Education (PTE). This is opposite to the previous Kiswahili curriculum where it was not a must for one to pass in Kiswahili to be awarded PTE certificate. The evaluation study aimed at providing important information to curriculum implementers and management for making informed decisions on teaching, learning, assessment process and improvement of the subject. Combinations of ex post facto and naturalistic designs were utilized. Many of the participants believed that to great extent the curriculum was realistic and practical; and the implementation was effective though with some difficulties. It was concluded that if the all the hindrances were eliminated then the implementation would be perfected.      Key words: evaluation, implementation, revised, curriculum, Kiswahili, teachers, college, Keny

EFFECTS OF AVAILABILITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING RESOURCES ON TEACHER PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KITUI COUNTY, KENYA

School climate and teacher performance are critical factors in any learning institution that seeks to have competitive edge. Teachers from Kitui County have raised concern over unfavourable school climate that affects their performance. Despite the fact that some studies on school climate have been carried out in Kenya none of them has explored exhaustively on poor teacher performance. Hence there was need to carry out this study. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of availability of teaching and learning resources on teacher performance in public secondary schools in Kitui county. this study employed mixed methods approach and descriptive survey research design to reveal and measure the opinion of teachers and the indicators of school climate and was anchored on three motivational theories namely: McGregor theory x and Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs and Hertzberg’s two factor theory. The study targeted 400 public secondary schools and 2417 teachers from Kitui county. Purposive and random sampling was used to select 40 principals and 488 teachers. Fractional method was used to sample 40 teachers from the 400-public secondary schools.20% of 2417 teachers were randomly selected from each sub-county. Sample size for this study was calculated using hypergeometric formulae where 76 principals and 352 teachers were selected giving a total of 428 respondents. Data was collected using Questionnaires for teachers, interview schedules for principals and document analysis. Validity of the instrument was achieved by reading other research works, books and journals. Split half reliability was used to test teacher’s questionnaire and principal’s checklist. Research instruments were appraised through a pilot study on 25 teachers and 5 principals from Katulani sub-county. Data was analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using Pearson correlation moment to test the questionnaire, Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression. Descriptive statistics and inferential statics were used. Descriptive statistics aided by statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 was used. Quantitative data was presented in percentages, t-test, frequencies and tables while qualitative data was organized into thematic categories according to the objectives of the study. The study established that there is no statistically significant relationship between teaching/leaning resources and teacher performance, p-value=0.001<0.00, the study recommended that there was need for school principal to avail enough teaching and learning resources and balance teacher’s workload and work closely with the teachers to ensure there is enough provision of teaching materials as well as e-resources for use by both the teachers and the students.  Article visualizations

Influence of Principals’ Perception of Computers on Their Use in Administration of Public Secondary Schools in Kiambu County, Kenya

This paper is a report of a study carried out to establish the relationship that existed between principals’ Perception towards computer application and the actual computer use by principals in public secondary schools in Kiambu County. Computer use in schools administration is a contemporary issue in the improvement of quality leadership in schools. The study was triggered by the need for effective leadership in schools which would lead to improved academic performance in Kiambu County, a county surrounding the Kenyan capital city of Nairobi.. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study was 307 principals of public secondary schools in Kiambu County. The study sample comprised of 205 principals which translated to 67% of the target population. Simple randomand purposive sampling techniques were used in the selection of the respondents. A questionnaire was used for data collection. Relationship between the two variables under study was established by use of spearman rho. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chi- square test of independence through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) were used to test the null hypotheses. The study found out that principal’s attitude towards use of computers influenced the use of computers among school principals. The study recommended that the MOE in collaboration TSC to mount regular ICT workshops to sensitize school principals on the need to use computers in school administration with a view of changing their attitudes towards computer use

To Establish the Effects of Principals’ Support to Teachers Through Mathematics Seminars/Workshop on Student’ Performance in Mathematics in Kcse Examination in Meru County, Kenya.

Performance in Mathematics in Meru County, Kenya from 2012 to 2016 has consistently been deteriorating. The purpose of this study was an evaluation of how the administrative strategies designed by the principals affected students’ performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in Meru County. Objectives that directed the study were to evaluate the various attributes on student performance in KCSE examination in Meru County. The objective was to evaluate principal’s support to teachers through Mathematics seminars/workshops and student’s performance in Mathematics. This study used ex post facto design. The research instrument was Mathematics teachers’ questionnaire, KCSE document analysis for five years in Meru County and Principal’s interview guide. The target population was 299 principals and 836 Mathematics teachers in the County. This study used stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. The sample size was 30% of the total target population translating to 92 principals and 251 Mathematics teachers. Validity was ensured by piloting the instrument. Reliability was ensured by using split half technique. The findings revealed that principals were not sponsoring Mathematics teachers to attend workshops and seminars.. The principals cited a lack of resources and budgetary allocation to the low number of Mathematics teachers attending seminars and workshops. The findings of the study were expected to be useful to the Ministry of Education, teachers and students as well as other stakeholders in the education sector

PARENTAL LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND TRANSITION RATES OF LEARNERS FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MUKURWEINI SUBCOUNTY IN KENYA

<p>Parental level of education entails the extent to which parents acquired education. The purpose of the study was to establish the extent to which educated, semi-educated and uneducated parents influence transition rate of pupils from primary to secondary school in Mukurweini sub county, Nyeri, Kenya. The study used mixed methods approach. The target population for this study comprised of 65 head teachers and 65 class 8 class teachers. A sample of 40 respondents, of whom 20 were head teachers and 20 class 8 class teachers were used. Questionnaires were used to collect data from head teachers and class 8 class teachers. Document analysis was utilized to collect data on pupil's transition rate. Validity was established through expert judgment who improved the content validity. Reliability was determined using test re-test technique. Data analysis was done both qualitatively, as per the emerging themes in narrative forms and quantitatively, using frequencies and percentages. The findings of the study revealed that parental level of education influence learners' transition rates from primary to secondary school; children of educated parents successfully transit to secondary schools. The findings of the study will help policy makers to address challenges related to parental level of education on pupil's transition rate and develop appropriate policies in mitigation, to enable the ministry of education to find strategies to alleviate future challenges relating to parenting that hinder school going children from transiting from primary schools to secondary school.</p&gt