Analysis of the Impediments influencing the Management of Special Needs Education in Inclusive Settings in Primary Schools in Embu County, Kenya.

In recent times there has been a growing support of inclusive education worldwide, formation of numerous commissions, change of policies and education systems, support from NGO’s and group activists all advocating for better lives for persons with special needs, (PWSN) however it has been observed that the PWSN still face stigmatization, exclusion/seclusion from meaningful participation in the economic, social, political and cultural lives of their communities. This study sought to analyze the impediments influencing the management of  special needs education in inclusive settings in primary schools and to make an assessment of the situation on the ground with a view to making suggestions and recommendations on how to overcome the reasons for effective and efficient management of inclusion so that the persons with special needs can access all the essentials of life and so live a meaningful life. The study adopted a survey design. This study was conducted in Upper Embu County which is made up of three districts, Embu West, East and Embu North. The target population was a total of 180 respondents from 60 schools practicing inclusion. The study collected both primary and secondary data. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for analysis of data and for descriptive analysis, percentage and frequency distributions were used. The study concluded that inclusive education is available. Disagreement on whether to practice inclusion or not featured as factors. Causes of retardation for effective management of special needs education in inclusive settings in primary schools of Embu County were diverse, covering all the aspects of learning from labeling, cultural factors, policy issues, curriculum, staffing, learning and teaching resources, the children themselves, attitudes, professional and parental disagreement among others. The study also concluded that although the schools in Embu County have physical and human resources, the resources do not respond and match to the needs of special needs education. The MOEST to come up with a national policy on implementation of IE which will address all the noted difficulties. Keywords: Special Needs Education, Inclusion, Management

An Evaluation of the Principal’s Instructional Supervision on Academic Performance: A Case of Sameta Primary School Kisii County, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of principal’s instructional supervision on academic performance in Sameta primary School in Kisii, Kenya. The specific objectives of this study were; to determine if there was effective instructional supervision by the principal, to investigate the quality of teaching and learning process, to explore the level of syllabus coverage in all classes, to identify challenges encountered by the principal while conducting instructional supervision and give recommendation on how to mitigate the challenges of instructional supervision by the principal. A descriptive survey research design was used in this study. The study focused on the head teacher, heads of departments and teachers. The study targeted the school due to its drop in performance over the years from 2008 to 2012. For this purpose census method was used to select all 6 heads of departments, 13 teachers and 1 head teacher. The sample size for the study is 20. This method ensures that the entire sample group has an equal chance of being selected for the study. The study used questionnaire, interview schedule, and document analysis in data collection. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such frequencies and percentages with the aid of a computer program SPSS (Version 17). Inferential statistics such as chi-square (x2) was also used to test the differences amongst the variables and if they had a significant effect. The major forms of instructional supervision techniques used by the principal in Sameta primary School, Kisii were exploration and discovery, question and answer, open ended observation, observational learning, rating scale, checklist and peer review. The use of thematic learning as a way of determining syllabus coverage in school showed no significant difference since teachers in this school mostly do not use thematic learning as a way of determining the extent of syllabus coverage in class. Similarly, monitoring by teachers aids in measuring the extent of syllabus coverage in class. Therefore most teachers in the school use monitoring as a way of measuring the extent of syllabus coverage in class. It was recommended that in order to improve on the academic standards of the school, the principal should devise more ways of instructional supervision techniques that are aimed at improving the general academic standards of the school. The study is useful to the Education Managers, principalsl, head teachesr, teachers, parents and even students of Sameta primary as well as other Schools in the region and globally. Key words: Principal’s instructional supervision on academic performance, Kisii County