PRINCIPALS’ MOTIVATION AND PROBLEM-SOLVING PRACTICES’ INFLUENCE ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TURKANA COUNTY, KENYA
PRINCIPALS’ MOTIVATION AND PROBLEM-SOLVING PRACTICES’ INFLUENCE ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TURKANA COUNTY, KENYA
Christine Samal Ekal - Department of Educational Management, Policy and Curriculum Studies, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Joseph G. Mungai (PhD) - Department of Educational Management, Policy and Curriculum Studies, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Exam results have been used to determine a student's aptitude as well as to choose them for further education and career opportunities. Across the course, Turkana County has been experiencing disparities in Kenya Certificate of Secondary School examination results and has remained poor over the recent five years as shown by the following mean scores: 2016 (3.8531); 2017 (3.5488); 2018 (3.2222); 2019 (2.9078); and 2020 (3.0121). This provides proof that the KCSE scores have been fluctuating in a declining trend. For the past five years, Turkana County's academic performance has been appalling, which begs numerous questions, especially in regard to principals’ management practices and how they influence students’ academic achievement. Principals’ management practices always have devastating effects on students’ academic performance when they are not properly practiced. This study, therefore, endeavored to establish the influence of selected principals’ management practices on students’ academic performance in Turkana County. The research objectives were; to establish the influence of principals’ motivation and problem-solving practices on students’ academic performance in Turkana Central Sub-County. Fielders' contingency theory served as the foundation for this research. Descriptive survey research design was used in this study. The target population of the research comprised of 16 principals, 200 teachers, and 784 students. A total of 300 respondents were chosen using random for sampling. Principals were chosen using census sampling, teachers through simple random selection, and students through stratified random sampling. Questionnaires with structured and unstructured items were used to gather data. Ten percent of participant questionnaires were examined in order to verify their validity for the intended purpose. In particular, 22 students, 6 teachers, and 2 principals took part in the pilot study. The researcher also requested the supervisor to validate the instruments' accuracy. The study adopted a method of rational equivalence by Kuder-Richardson Reliability. The data was grouped, entered, coded, cleaned, stored, and analyzed with the aid of SPSS v. 26 software. Descriptive statistics in the form of percentages, frequencies, and means were utilized to assess the quantitative information from the structured questions. Narratives and direct quotes were utilized to examine thematically the qualitative data from unstructured questions. Frequency bar graphs, tables and charts were utilized to display the analyzed data. The findings revealed that principals who demonstrate motivating leadership by recognizing and applauding accomplishments, offering professional development opportunities, and cultivating a positive school culture help to boost teacher morale and dedication. A motivated teaching staff improves instructional quality and student engagement, resulting in improved academic achievement across all subjects. The findings also established that principals who actively identify and address academic issues through collaborative problem-solving initiatives create a more resilient and adaptive school environment. Effective problem-solving strategies foster innovation, resilience, and continuous improvement, which are essential for enhancing academic performance. The recommendations are as follows: i) principals should inspire, motivate and empower teachers by recognizing achievements and providing professional development opportunities; and ii) principals should foster a collaborative problem-solving culture within the school environment.
