Kenyatta University Repository
Kenyatta University Institutional Repository is a digital archive that collects, preserves and disseminates scholarly outputs of the Institution
IMPORTANT LINKS
Communities in DSpace
Select a community to browse its collections.
Recent Submissions
Approaches Employed by School Managers to Address School Dropout Rates among Secondary School Students in Timau Ward, Meru County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2016-12) Marete, Lydia N.
Abstract
Effectiveness of Quality Assurance and Standards Officers in Promoting Teachers’ Instructional Practices in Secondary Schools of Kisii County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2016-10) Oginda, Zablon Mogambi
The core function of the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards (QAS) is ensuring quality education. This entails monitoring curriculum implementation in schools. Members and staff of the directorate are expected to visit schools regularly, conduct seminars and in-service courses for teachers, and promote advisory services, among other responsibilities.
Quality Assurance and Standards has, however, become a thorny issue. Despite the efforts made in training personnel and providing the necessary materials to strengthen the department, it is still wanting. It is against this background that this study sought to find out the role effectiveness of Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs) in promoting teacher instructional practices in Masaba South Sub-County, Kisii County.
The main objective of the study was to assess the extent to which QASOs are improving teacher instructional practices in Masaba South Sub-County, Kisii County, evaluate the effectiveness of QASOs in promoting teacher instructional practices, and identify impediments faced by QASOs in carrying out their roles.
The research adopted a descriptive research design. Simple random sampling was used to sample 120 teachers from secondary schools in Masaba South Sub-County, Kisii County. Systematic random sampling was used to select 40 secondary schools in the sub-county. Therefore, the sample size included 40 schools, 40 principals, and 120 teachers from the sub-county. Questionnaires were used to collect data from principals and teachers. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
The study established that the exercise helped both principals and teachers perform their duties more effectively and become better educators. The major roles played by QASOs in instructional practices included visiting teachers in classrooms to observe their teaching methodologies, checking lesson preparation, reviewing records and schemes of work, and ensuring that teachers had adequate teaching and learning materials.
Regarding the extent to which QASOs’ activities addressed overall performance indicators, the study concluded that the major activities carried out by QASOs in Masaba South Sub-County included monitoring and advising schools on academic performance, advising schools on sports, games, drama, and music, as well as advising on curriculum delivery and assessment. However, the findings revealed that most QASOs were not actively engaged in monitoring and advising schools on environmental conservation and the provision of career guidance services.
The major challenges experienced by QASOs while carrying out their roles included poor transport systems, inadequate staffing in the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards, lack of qualified personnel, and teachers’ negative attitudes toward the officers. From the findings, the study concluded that without proper instructional supervision by QASOs, the education system is jeopardized, leading to poor quality education and unsatisfactory learning outcomes.
The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should allocate more funds toward the recruitment of QASOs to address understaffing in the sub-county. QASOs should also visit schools more frequently for supervision and establish follow-up mechanisms to ensure that their recommendations are implemented, among other recommendations.
Teachers’ and Students’ Perceptions on the Causes of Poor Performance in English Subject in Public Secondary Schools in Embu County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2016-10) Wangai, Richard Muthee
The performance in languages, specifically the English subject in KCSE, has generally been poor in Mbeere South Sub-County compared to other sub-counties in Embu County. This study was initiated to determine the causes of the poor performance, particularly based on the perceptions of both teachers and students.
The study was guided by Tyler’s Model (1949) of curriculum innovation, which outlines how objectives, selection and organization of curriculum content, and evaluation determine the overall outcome of the teaching and learning process. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design to establish the factors that led to poor performance in English.
The study was carried out in Mbeere South Sub-County of Embu County, which has a total of 43 secondary schools. The target population consisted of 3,200 students, English subject teachers, and head teachers from the schools. The population was sampled using stratified sampling techniques so that all categories of public secondary schools were included in the study and proportionately sampled to obtain a sample of 320 students and a proportional number of teachers.
The study used two questionnaires: one for students and another for teachers. An interview schedule for head teachers was also included. The data collected were presented descriptively using tables of frequencies and percentages.
The study recommended that the government and other education stakeholders should equip existing rooms to establish effective libraries and ensure that teachers regularly attend in-service training. Students’ attitudes toward the English subject also need to be addressed so that they can positively understand the importance of the English language in their lives, beyond merely passing examinations.
Relationship between Drug Trafficking and Violent Crime in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi City County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2017-08) Nyakwaka, Bernard
Over the last decade, drug trafficking has been gaining ground in Kenya as the country is increasingly being used as a major transit and destination hub for narcotics. This has had economic, political, and social consequences. This study sought to examine drug trafficking and violent crime in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi City County.
In order to achieve its purpose, the study proposed the following objectives: to determine the perceived prevalence of drug trafficking and crimes attributable to drug trafficking in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi City County; to investigate the relationship between drug trafficking and violent crime in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi City County; to establish the motivations and predisposing factors of drug trafficking in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi City County; to examine the implications of drug trafficking and violent crime on security in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi City County; and to establish the major hindrances to the fight against drug trafficking and violent crime in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi City County.
The main theoretical perspective of the study was the Rational Choice Theory. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design encompassing the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. Purposive sampling techniques were used to obtain an appropriate sample for the study. Both primary and secondary data were collected. Primary data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire comprising both open-ended and closed-ended questions completed by the respondents, as well as a semi-structured interview schedule for key informant interviews. Secondary data were collected from official documents and records.
Primary and secondary data, including verbatim interview transcripts and documentary records, were analyzed using descriptive statistics, content analysis, and thematic analysis in line with the objectives of the study. Ethical considerations such as obtaining informed consent and guaranteeing confidentiality to respondents were observed.
The findings of this research project significantly contributed to the understanding of the relationship between drug trafficking and violent crime in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi City County.
Assessment of Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction at Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service, Nairobi County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2017-10) Kirugi, Fridah Kendi
The study assessed service quality and customer satisfaction at the Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service (KNADS) in Nairobi County, Kenya. Service quality was measured using the SERVQUAL standards developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1985), which consist of five dimensions, namely: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Customer satisfaction was defined as users’ overall evaluation and psychological reactions to the consumption experience with KNADS products and services.
The objectives of the study were to determine the needs and expectations of KNADS users, assess the quality of services offered by KNADS, and determine the levels of customer satisfaction with the services provided. The independent variable was customers’ perceived expectations and needs, which determined customer satisfaction, the dependent variable. Intervening variables included service quality benchmarks such as reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles based on the SERVQUAL Model.
The theoretical framework was informed by the Expectation Disconfirmation Theory (EDT) developed by Khalifa and Liu (2003). The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, with survey research as the main research design. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Triangulation and Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient were used to address the validity and reliability of the data. Convenience and purposive sampling techniques were used to sample 60 KNADS users and 7 management staff members.
A pilot study involving 10 respondents at the Kenya National Museum in Nairobi helped refine the research instruments. Literature was reviewed on service quality, user satisfaction, information needs, and expectations of archival users. Collected data were cleaned, coded, and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program to generate descriptive statistics such as means, percentages, and frequency tables.
The findings revealed that KNADS was mainly used for research purposes by males with undergraduate and master’s degrees in their mid-twenties and thirties. Users were dissatisfied with KNADS service quality benchmarks such as internet connectivity, finding aids, speed of retrieval, OPAC services, digital files, sitting space, subject coverage, and staff competencies.
The study recommended the development of a policy framework to guide, promote, and manage archival collections, digitization of records, enhancement of ICT infrastructure, and training interventions to improve staff skills, knowledge, and competencies.