INFLUENCE OF PRINCIPALS’ INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP PRACTICES ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Instructional leadership is associated with practices which the school principal does with the intention of enhancing students’ academic achievement. This research sought to find out whether the instructional leadership practices influenced learners’ academic achievement in KCSE in public secondary schools in Nakuru County. The study determined the influence of principals’ instructional leadership practices on students’ academic achievement in KCSE in public secondary school in Nakuru County. The objectives of this study were; to determine the influence of goal setting skills of the principal on KCSE performance of students in public secondary schools in Nakuru county, to determine the influence of principals’ instructional supervisory practices on students’ achievement in KCSE in Nakuru county, to establish the influence of principals’ promotion of staff professional development on learners’ achievement in KCSE in public secondary schools in Nakuru county and to determine the influence of principals’ fostering of conducive learning environment on the learners’ academic achievement in KCSE in public secondary schools in Nakuru county. The study was guided by Carrier’s (2014) instructional leadership model which demonstrated an experimental illustration that deliberated on how the staff and the leader’s crossing point resulted into institutions’ desired achievement The study used mixed methods research design which used both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study was conducted in Nakuru County. The target population included 285 teachers and 33 principals of public secondary schools in Nakuru County. Therefore, the total sample size for the quantitative phase was 30 principals and 166 teachers totaling up to 196 respondents. The study employed the use of purposive sampling to select schools and principals. Simple random sampling technique was also used to select teachers in the selected schools. The study used questionnaires for both teachers and principal and interview schedules for the principals. Content validity was established by seeking expert judgement from specialists in the department of Educational Management, Policy and Curriculum studies. The reliability was tested using Cronbach’s alpha to determine whether the questions in the questionnaire reliably measured what was intended.  Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and presented in form of narrations. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS presented using frequency distribution tables and bar graphs. A multiple linear regression test was used to establish the influence of principals’ instructional leadership practices on KCSE achievement. The major finding from the study was that the principals did carry out school programmes with the main aim of attaining the set goals.  The study recommended that the roles of other instructional leaders like the heads of department, deputy principals and senior teachers should be explored. Additionally, the ministry of Education and TSC should take appropriate measures to curb continuous decline in KCSE performance in Nakuru County, Kenya.