A CRITICAL REFLECTION ON THE PRINCIPAL’S MONITORING OF STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND ITS IMPACT ON THEIR PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRY IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MACHAKOS COUNTY, KENYA
A CRITICAL REFLECTION ON THE PRINCIPAL’S MONITORING OF STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND ITS IMPACT ON THEIR PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRY IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MACHAKOS COUNTY, KENYA
Mulinge, Marietta N - PhD student, Machakos University, Kenya
Dr. Stephen Munguti (PhD) - Lecturer, Machakos University, Kenya
Dr. Patrick Wambua (PhD) - Lecturer, Machakos University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
This research aimed to investigate how principals’ oversight of students’ academic progress influences their performance in chemistry within public secondary schools in Machakos County, Kenya. Utilizing James MacGregor Burns’ Transformational Leadership Theory (1978) as a framework, the study adopted a Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Research Design, allowing for the concurrent collection of both qualitative and quantitative information. The study’s target population included 545 chemistry teachers and 365 principals. A simple random sampling method was employed to select 109 chemistry teachers and 73 principals. Data collection techniques comprised interview schedules, document analysis and questionnaires. Qualitative data from open-ended questions were examined through content analysis, while quantitative data were analyzed using inferential and descriptive statistics with the assistance of SPSS version 26. The findings revealed a significant positive correlation between principals’ monitoring of students’ academic progress and their performance in chemistry. It is recommended that principals delegate some instructional supervisory responsibilities to their deputies to ensure the smooth execution of supervisory tasks, especially when principals are occupied with managerial responsibilities.
