Teachers’ Performance Appraisals and Administrative Management of Teaching Staff in Kitui County, Kenya

Teachers’ Performance Appraisals and Administrative Management of Teaching Staff in Kitui County, Kenya

Dr. Luke Murithi Kathenya

Tharaka University

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8100125

Received: 29 September 2024; Accepted: 05 October 2024; Published: 08 November 2024

ABSTRACT

The study was triggered by Teachers Service Commission Kenya; in its attempt to introduce teachers’ performance appraisals to appraise teachers and administrators in various learning institutions. Teachers’ performance appraisal is a unique tool that enhances teachers’ professionalism and facilitates effective curriculum implementation. However, the performance appraisals program has not completely realized the main aim of evaluating teachers’ academic performance and staff administrative management strategies. The study sought to establish relationship between teachers’ performance appraisals and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui county Kenya. The study was guided by agency theory. The study employed descriptive survey design. The researcher utilized Krejcie and Morgan sample determination table to determine a sample size of 317 respondents from 1800 target population. The researcher used researcher made questionnaires for head teachers, teachers and curriculum support officers. Researcher ascertained research tools validity by getting relevant information on specific tools from teacher performance appraisals experts and professionals in ministry of education Kenya. The reliability of research tools was determined by cronbanch alpha co-efficient of 0.742. The researcher considered ethical issues by adhering to assured non-discrimination, confidentiality, anonymity to maintain privacy of participation in the study. The study established that teachers’ profession development has significant relationship with administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County. The study further indicated that career progression has significant relationship with administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County. The study concluded that teachers’ performance appraisals correlated with administrative management in the teaching staff of Kitui County, Kenya. The study therefore recommended that every teacher in a teaching profession in primary, junior and secondary schools should improve his/her teaching professional development as stipulated in Teacher Performance Appraisals to enhance good administrative management in schools. Every teacher in teaching profession should ensure smooth career progression as stipulated in Teacher Performance Appraisals to facilitate good governance in schools.

Key words: Teachers’ Performance Appraisals, Administrative Management, Teaching Staff and Performance Appraisals.

INTRODUCTION

Performance appraisal currently is the most important functions of human resource management in 21^st century. Teachers’ performance appraisals give about a large advantage that incorporate the chance to guarantee staff after and line up with more extensive hierarchical destinations set by administrators. Arrangement of target appraisal is expected to enhance vocation administration and better workers relations and management abilities.  Akampuriria (2014) revealed performance appraisal as the work behaviour evaluation process by measuring and comparing them with established standards, results, recording and later communicating them back to the organisation employee. Armstrong (2014) showed performance appraisal as a tool for checking what should be accomplished by individuals in an organisation to achieve motivation behind the activity to address new challenges. According to the republic of Kenya (2015); teachers in Kenya are appraised through online management systems of teachers’ performance appraisals and development which was introduced in 2016 following finding from World Bank in collaboration with Kenya primary education development project (PRIEDE).

Teachers service commission (2016) introduced teachers’ performance appraisals to all teachers in Kenya. The rationale for introduction of teachers’ performance appraisals was to strengthen the supervision of teachers and continuously monitor the performance of teaching staff in curriculum implementation at learning institutional level. Mwema and Gachunga (2014) argued that appraisal system can be utilised to enhance the nature of institution’s employee performance which take part in a critical management of human resources and management function which include administrative work, staff input and needs for individual training.

Performance appraisal needs to be directed to survey representative execution against the activities expressed or prerequisites. Mwema and gachunga (2014) further expounded that teachers need to be concerned of what is anticipated from them and measure standards by which their administrative performance and results are estimated. Teacher performance appraisals need to be utilised in settling on choices concerning compensation and salaries, exchanges, advancement and expulsions that convey data to assess staff advancement.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Teachers performance appraisal seem subjective on performance, setting of targets by teaching staff that are not realistic and little contribution from human resource  management on recruitment, training , career progression and administrative management of teaching staff in learning institutions. Most previous studies centralise on performance appraisals on academic performances but none is based on relationship between performance appraisals and administrative management. Therefore the study examined the relationship between teachers’ performance appraisal and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County, Kenya.

Objectives of the study

General Objective

The general objective of the study was to establish relationship between teachers’ performance appraisals and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui county Kenya.

Specific Objective

The specific objectives were:

1. To examine relationship between teacher profession development and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County.
2. To determine relationship between career progression and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui county.

Study Hypotheses

The study was guided by the following hypothesis at 0.5 significance level

H₀¹ Teacher profession development has no statistical significance relationship with administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County.

H₀² Career progression has no statistical significant relationship with administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County.

Theoretical framework

The study was guided by Agency theory that focuses on how organisation ensures a relationship of interest between the owners and agents. Individuals are propelled independently from anyone else intrigue, only as monetary computations that involve such issues as trust, steadfastness and fellowship system. A performance appraisal brings a large number of advantages to both organisations and the employees. Evans and Tourish (2017) argued that manager versus work examination process remains an utilised system for the performance appraisal in most organisations.

Conceptual Framework

Indicators of Teachers’ Performance Appraisals were teacher profession development and Career progression which seemed to have direct relationship with Administration Management of teaching staff indicated by Teacher supervision and administration of staff activities. The relationship was extraneously affected by government policies indicated by education policies.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The study employed descriptive survey design. Descriptive design enhances insight into complex world of reality in its natural settings; by helping researcher develop theories and make predictions regarding causal-effects on a given phenomenon.

Study population

The researcher targeted 1800 individuals comprising 1754 teachers and 46 curriculum support officers; in Kitui County Kenya.

Sampling Technique and Sample Size

Sampling Technique

The researcher used Krejcie and Morgan sample determination table to determine 317 respondents from 1800 target population. According to Krejcie and Morgan (1970) sample determination table, 317 respondents under study are adequate to represent the total of 1800 individuals. Teachers and curriculum support officers were selected using simple random sampling technique and purposive sampling technique respectively from 1800 study population.

Sample Size

The sample size of the study was 312 teachers, and 5 curriculum support officers, totalling to 317 respondents who were selected using simple random sampling technique and purposive sampling technique respectively from 1800 study population.

Research Instruments

Questionnaires

The researcher employed research made questionnaires to teachers and curriculum support officers. The five-Likert scale was used in scoring the items in the questionnaire.  Questionnaire was most efficient since it is a standardized measuring instrument where questions are phrased exactly the same way for all respondents.

Validity and Reliability of the Research Instruments

Researcher ascertained research tools validity by getting relevant information on specific tools from teacher performance appraisals experts and professionals in ministry of education Kenya. The reliability of research tools was determined by cronbanch alpha co-efficient of 0.742.

Data Collection Procedure

First researcher conducted pilot study in Embu County. Then, researcher employed research assistors. The researcher conducted actual study in Kitui County; by collecting data starting with head teachers, teachers and curriculum support officers; using questionnaires.

Ethical Considerations of Study

Researcher observed   principles of informed consent from National Council of Science Technology and Innovation to carry out study in Kitui County, Kenya. The researcher considered ethical issues by adhering to assured non-discrimination, confidentiality, anonymity to maintain privacy of participation in the study.

Data Analysis

The data was organized and analyzed using inferential statistic of data analysis.  Regression was used to estimate relationship between teachers’ performance appraisal and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County, at 0.05 significant level. Mean and standard deviation was used to analyse qualitative data. Data processing adopted statistical package for social sciences software program.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The researcher analysed the study findings and gave discussions as follows:

Table 1: Analysis of Data on Relationship between Teacher Profession Development and Administrative Management of Teaching Staff in Kitui County.

Table 1 showed analysis of data on relationship between teacher profession development and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County. Items 1, 2, 3 and 4 shown criterion mean above 2.50 indicating acceptance by the respondents. On the other hand, items 5 and 6 reflected the criterion mean below 2.50 suggesting disagreements by the respondents. A grand mean of 2.68 which was greater than criterion mean indicated that majority of the respondents agreed on relationship between teacher profession development and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County. The findings were in line with Teachers service commission (2016) which introduced teachers’ performance appraisals to all teachers in Kenya. The rationale for introduction of teachers’ performance appraisals was to strengthen the supervision of teachers and continuously monitor the performance of teaching staff in curriculum implementation at learning institutional level.

Table 2: Analysis of Data on Relationship between Career Progression and Administrative Management of Teaching Staff in Kitui County

Table 2; showed analysis of data on relationship between career progression and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County. Items 1, 2 and 3 shown criterion mean above 2.50 indicating acceptance by the respondents. On the other hand, items 4 and 5 reflected the criterion mean below 2.50 suggesting disagreements by the respondents. A grand mean of 2.61 which was greater than criterion mean indicated that majority of the respondents agreed on relationship between career progression and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County. The findings correlated with the views of Mwema and gachunga (2014) who expounded that teachers need to be concerned of what is anticipated from them and measure standards by which their administrative performance and results are estimated. Teacher performance appraisals need to be utilised in settling on choices concerning compensation and salaries, exchanges, advancement and expulsions that convey data to assess staff advancement.

Hypotheses Testing

Hypothesis one

Teachers’ profession development has no statistical significant relationship with administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County.

Table 3: Summary of Regression on Relationship between Teacher Profession Development and Administrative Management of Teaching Staff in Kitui County.

F (1, 316) = 4.130, P< 0.05 (Hypothesis Rejected).

a Predictors: (Constant), Teachers’ profession development

The data analysis in table 3 reflected F-change as 4.130 and significant F-change as a .042. Since p-value (.042) was less than critical value (0.05); hypothesis one which stated that Teachers’ profession development has no statistical significant relationship with administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County was rejected retaining alternative hypothesis. Therefore, teachers’ profession development has significant relationship with administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County. The findings were in line with Teachers, service commission (2016) which introduced teachers, performance appraisals to all teachers in Kenya; to strengthen the supervision of teachers and continuously monitor the performance of teaching staff in curriculum implementation at learning institutional level.

Hypothesis two

Career progression has no statistical significant relationship with administrative management of Kitui County.

Table 4: Summary of Regression on Relationship between Teacher Performance Appraisals and Administrative Management of Teaching Staff in Kitui County.

F (1, 316) = 4.140, P< 0.05 (Hypothesis Rejected).

a Predictors: (Constant), Career progression

The data analysis in table 4 revealed a reflection of F-change as 3.190 and significant to F-change as a .035. Since p-value (0.035) was less than the critical value (0.05); hypothesis two which stated that career progression has no statistical significant relationship with administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui county, was rejected retaining alternative hypothesis. Therefore, career progression has significant relationship with administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County. The findings correlated with the views of Armstrong (2014) who argued that performance appraisal is a tool for checking what should be accomplished by individuals in an organisation to achieve motivation behind the administrative activity to address new managerial challenges.

CONCLUSION

As per the findings of the study, the researcher concluded that there was relationship among, teacher profession development, career progression and administrative management of teaching staff in Kitui County. Therefore, teachers’ performance appraisals correlated with administrative management of the teaching staff in Kitui County, Kenya.                       

RECOMMENDATION

The researcher recommended that:

Every teacher in a teaching profession in primary, junior and secondary schools should improve his/her teaching professional development as stipulated in Teacher Performance Appraisals to enhance good administrative management in schools.

Every teacher in teaching profession should ensure smooth career progression as stipulated in Teacher Performance Appraisals to facilitate good governance in schools.

Teacher Performance Appraisals should be properly administered to all counties in Kenya to enhance good administrative management in all schools.

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