LEADERSHIP nPRACTICES nAND nPERFORMANCE OF nSELECTED nPUBLIC 
nHIGH nSCHOOLSn nIN KIAMBU nCOUNTY, n KENYA. 

 

 

 

NG’ANG’A VICTOR BARAKA 

D53/CTY/PT/31551/n2015 

 

 

nA nRESEARCH nPROJECT nSUBMITTED nTO nTHE nSCHOOL nOF nBUSINESS 
nIN nPARTIAL nFULFILMENT OF nTHE nREQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD 
OF nDEGREE IN nMASTER nOF nBUSINESS nADMINISTRATION (HUMAN 
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OPTION) nOF nKENYATTA nUNIVERSITY 

 

 

 

 

nApril, 2021 


nDECLARATION 

 

This is to nconfirm nthat nthis nresearch nproject nis nmy noriginal nwork nand to the best of 
my knowledge has not been presented for examination in any other institution. 

 

Victor Baraka Ng’ang’a Signature: _______________ Date: ______________ 

nD53/CTY/PT/31551/n2015 

 

 

nThis research project nhas nbeen nsubmitted for examination nwith nmy napproval nas nthe 
duly appointed nUniversity nsupervisor. 

 

nDr. Philip Wambua nSignature: _________________ nDate: ______________ 

nLecturer 

nSchool of Business 

nKenyatta University 

 

 


nDEDICATION 

 

To the glory of God, I dedicate this study to my dear parents Reverend Gabriel Ng’ang’a and 
Pastor Elizabeth Ng’ang’a and my brother Obed Wisdom Ng’ang’a. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

 

I wish to begin by acknowledging God for life and enabling me to come this far. nMy 
nappreciation ngoes nto my parents, brother and nfriends nfor ntheir nsupport throughout my 
studies. 

Special thanks also go to my supervisor Dr. Philip Wambua of Kenyatta University for 
reading through my work and offering technical and insightful advice. I would like to thank 
my academic colleagues for continuous help and inspiration during my studies. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
DECLARATION .......................................................................................................................2 
DEDICATION ...........................................................................................................................3 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .........................................................................................................4 
LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................10 
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS .........................................................................12 
ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................13 
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................15 
CHAPTER ONE ......................................................................................................................16 
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................16 
1.1 Background of the study ........................................................................................16 
1.1.1 Organization Performance ..................................................................................16 
1.1.2 Leadership Practices ...........................................................................................20 
1.1.3 Public High Schools in Kiambu County, Kenya ................................................25 
1.2 Statement of the Problem .......................................................................................26 
1.3 Objectives of the Study. .........................................................................................28 
1.3.1 General Objective ....................................................................................................... 28 
1.3.2 Specific Objectives ..................................................................................................... 28 
1.4 Research Questions ................................................................................................29 
1.5 Significance of the study. .......................................................................................29 
1.6 Scope of the study ..................................................................................................30 
1.7 Limitation of the study ...........................................................................................31 
1.8 Organization of the study .......................................................................................32 
CHAPTER TWO .....................................................................................................................33 
LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................................33 
2.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................33 
2.1Theoretical Review .................................................................................................33 
2.1.1 Resource-Based View Theory .................................................................................... 33 
2.1.2 Human Capital theory ................................................................................................. 35 
2.1.3 Universalistic Theory .................................................................................................. 36 
2.1.4 Elton Mayo's Management Theory ............................................................................. 37 
2.2 Empirical Review...................................................................................................38 
2.2.1 Performance Targets and Performance ....................................................................... 38 
2.2.2 Training and Performance........................................................................................... 41 
2.2.3 Reward and Performance ............................................................................................ 44 
2.2.4 Teamwork and Performance ....................................................................................... 47 
2.3 Leadership Practices and School Performance. .....................................................49 
2.4 Summary of the Literature and Research Gap .......................................................52 
2.5 Conceptual Framework ......................................................................................................56 
CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................58 
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................58 
3.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................58 
3.1 Research Design.....................................................................................................59 
3.2 Target Population ...................................................................................................59 
3.3 Sampling Design ....................................................................................................60 
3.4 Data Collection Instruments ..................................................................................62 
3.4.1 Validity of Research Instrument .........................................................................62 
3.4.2 Reliability of Research Instrument .....................................................................63 
3. 5 Pilot testing ..........................................................................................................64 
3.6 Data Collection Procedure ....................................................................................64 
3.7 Data analysis and Presentation...............................................................................65 
3.8 Ethical Considerations ...........................................................................................66 
CHAPTER FOUR ....................................................................................................................67 
RESEARCH FINDINGS .........................................................................................................67 
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................67 
4.2. Response Rate .......................................................................................................67 
4.3. Demographic Findings ..........................................................................................68 
4.3.1Gender .......................................................................................................................... 69 
4. 3.2 Level of Education .............................................................................................69 
4.3. 3 Age of Respondents ...........................................................................................70 
4.3. 4 Job position of respondents ................................................................................71 
4.3. 5 Respondents years of employment ....................................................................72 
4.4 Descriptive Findings .............................................................................................73 
4.4.1. Performance Targets and School Performance ..................................................73 
4.4.2. Training and School Performance .....................................................................75 
4.4.3. Rewards and School Performance .....................................................................77 
4.4.4. Teamwork and School Performance ..................................................................79 
4.5 Inferential analysis .................................................................................................81 
4.5.1 Correlation Analysis ...........................................................................................81 
4.5.1.1 Performance Targets and School Performance ................................................83 
4.5.1.2 Training and School Performance ...................................................................83 
4.5.1.3 Rewards and School Performance ...................................................................83 
4.5.1.4 Teamwork and School Performance ................................................................84 
4.5.2 Regression Analysis ............................................................................................84 
4.5.2.1Model Summary................................................................................................84 
4.5.2.2Regression Coefficient ......................................................................................86 
CHAPTER FIVE .....................................................................................................................88 
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ................................................88 
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................88 
5.2 Summary of Research Findings .............................................................................88 
5.2.1 Performance targets andPerformance of public high schools in KiambuCounty, 
Kenya. .................................................................................................................................. 88 
5.2.2 Training and Performance of public high schools in Kiambu County Kenya............ 89 
5.2.3 Rewards and Performance of public high schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. .......... 90 
5.2.4 Teamwork and Performance of public high schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. ...... 91 
5.3 Conclusion .............................................................................................................92 
5.4 Recommendations ..................................................................................................93 
5.4.1 Suggestion for Further Research ................................................................................. 95 
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................96 
APPENDICES .......................................................................................................................104 
APPENDIX ONE: A list of Thirteen (13) Selected Public High Schools in Kiambu County104 
APPENDIX TWO: QUESTIONNAIRE ...............................................................................107 
APPENDIX THREE: RESEARCH PERMIT .......................................................................118 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

nLIST nOF nTABLES 

 

Table 2.1 Summary of Literature and Research Gap………………………………...............19 


Table 3.1 Sample Size……………………………………..…................................................24 

Table 4.1 Response rate………………………………………………………….…………..29 

Table 4.2 Reliability……………………………………………………..…………….……..30 

Table 4.3 Analysis of Gender of respondents……………………………………………….30 

Table 4.4 Education level of respondents……………………………………………………31 

Table 4.5 Age of respondents……………………………………………………………......32 

Table 4.6 Job position of respondents……………………………………………………….32 

Table 4.7 Respondents years of employment……………………………………………......33 

Table 4.8 Response to statements on Performance Targets in relation to performance…......34 

Table 4.9 Response to statements on Rewards in relation to performance…………...…......35 

Table 4.10 Response to statements on Training in relation to performance ………………..37 

Table 4.11 Response to statements on Teamwork in relation to performance………………38 

Table 4.12 Correlation Analysis……………………………………………………………..40 

Table 4.13 Model summary………………………………………………………………….42 

Table 4.14 ANOVA…………………………………………………………………………42 

Table 4.15 Regression Coefficients…………………………………………………………43 

 

nLIST nOF nFIGURES 


nFigure n2.1 nConceptual nFramework…………………...………………...….................22 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS 

Leadership practices refer to approaches adopted to influence willingness to work with an 
aim to achieve the overall performance objectives and goals of the school. 


Performance targets are set objectives at the school level, and teacher level that clearly 
defines expected outcomes. Success is achieved when these objectives achieved. 

Public High schools in this study refer post-primary schools that are founded, built, and 
supported with government funds and initiatives. 

Rewards in the study it refers to gifts both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Intrinsic rewards 
being Intangible while extrinsic being tangible. The purpose of the rewards is to enhance 
morale, encourage behavior and improve on performance. 

School performance is determining the success of a school based on assessment of the 
transition rate of its students to the next level of education. It is also determined accessing the 
timeliness in completion of school syllabus which is reflected by the results of its students in 
examinations. 

Teamwork in this study refers to delegation of duties and roles, encouraging participation of 
members towards achievement of a common goal of a better overall school performance. 

Training refers to both Off-Job training and on-Job training. Off-Job entails acquiring 
knowledge and skills outside the work environment, while On Job training refers to 
acquisition of Knowledge while undertaking work 

ABBREVIATIONS 

GOK Government of Kenya 

HRM Human Resource Management 


ILO International Labor Organization 

NACOSTI National Council nfor nScience, nTechnology, nand nInnovation 

NSSF National Social Security Fund 

RBV Resource-Based View 

SHRM Strategic Human Resource Management 

SPSS nStatistical nPackage nfor nSocial nSciences 

SSA nSub-nSaharan nAfrica 

UK nUnited nKingdom 

US nUnited nStates 

 

 

 

 

 

 


ABSTRACT 

Organization Performance is a crucial indicator on the effectiveness of the set practices in 
place towards the achievement of the overall objectives of any institution. Leadership which 
is an aspect of Human Resource Managerial function plays a key role to Organizations 
performance. The level of skills organization leaders possess plays a major role in strategy 
implementation and overall performance of an organization. This research focused on 
assessing leadership practices nin nrelation nto nperformance nof selected public high schools 
in Kiambu County. Leadership practices entailing performance targets, rewards, training, and 
teamwork, were examined on their role in Performance of selected public high schools in 
Kiambu County. The research study presented both a theoretical and empirical review. The 
theories under review in this study were; the Resource-based view, Human capital, 
Universalistic theory and Elton Mayo management theory. A descriptive research design was 
adopted in this study. Due to the limitation of time and cost implication thirteen public high 
schools were purposively selected each school being selected from the thirteen sub-counties 
of Kiambu County. Respondents in the study were randomly selected. A sample of the 
nrespondents nwas drawn using stratified random sampling technique. The sub-counties 
within Kiambu County provided a diverse set of both Urban and Rural set up. The 
respondents comprised of four school principals, seventeen Heads of departments and 
seventy-six teachers. Data was collected in the selected public high schools through the use 
of Questionnaires. Validity and reliability nof nthe nquestionnaires nwas nestablished nthrough 
npiloting of the questionnaires. nData collected was nanalyzed nquantitatively. The 
relationship between variables was tested in the study nby nuse nof nregression nanalysis. nThe 
nStudy established that nthere exists na nrelationship nbetween Leadership practices and 
performance. Performance targets, rewards, training and teamwork are leadership practices 
that play a paramount role in the performance of organizations. Leadership practices needs to 
be given the attention they require in for more efficient and effective organizations. The 
study recommends that target setting for the overall school performance should be cascaded 
down to individual targets. The setting of targets needs to be a collaborative process between 
school leaders in this case Principals and Heads of Departments with teachers. Allocation of 
more resources was recommended to training and enhancing the competences and 
capabilities of the Human Resources as this is reflected in the performance outcome of the 
schools. It’s key that training programs be aligned to the performance goals set and also be as 
a result of a training needs assessment process. It is recommended that rewarding of teachers 
be linked to performance. Aligning rewards to performance reinforce and encourage 
repetition of good behavior. When delegating tasks, the leaders in this case School principals 
and Heads of departments need to also transfer authority to execute the tasks. This would 
hence enhance confidence among teachers and increase the level of performance. 

 

. 


nCHAPTER nONE 

nINTRODUCTION 

1.1 nBackground nof nthe nstudy 

nPerformance oof nan institution heavily relies on its leaders’ skill level in implementation of 
strategies. Organization performance depends on both leaders and employees, as they are the 
major stakeholders in the organization and work towards the overall realization of 
organization mission and vision. The essence of leadership was described by Silva (2014) as 
conditional relationship between a leader and followers. 

Schools are referred to as social organizations and the human resources in them play a major 
role towards their efficiency and effectiveness. The education system has been assigned the 
duty of educating and nurturing the next generation. For achievement of the education goals 
in each society there must be new thinking, innovation and reorganization in leadership 
especially by the school principals (Mukami, 2013). 

1.1.1 Organization Performance 

Organizational performance is a measurable indicator based on effectiveness of the 
organization, profits and returns, market dominance and assets and human resource in terms 
of turnover rate and Job performance (Mortazavi & Partovi, 2014). Leaders must promote 
innovation and stimulate creativity by challenging subordinates to question their value 
systems hence improving on performance. 


Organizational performance can be considered by the existence of proper governance and 
management systems run objectively to achieve the goals of the organization and 
accomplishing its mission and vision consistently (Richard, 2011). Goals, Objectives set by 
management are used to set out standards to be used to measure performance of any 
organization. 

A survey conducted in the year 2013 involving 53 countries globally was undertaken by 
Mercer to determine the factors internally and externally affecting performance in an 
organization. The survey involved over 10,000 respondents who worked in 1056 companies 
(profit, government institutions and non-profit institutions). The survey revealed that, 42 
percent of the respondents recommended that a review of the organization reward system 
would enhance performance, 51 percent of all that were selected recommended for an 
improvement in the planning process while 41 percent of the respondents thought the 
management approach used required to be looked into (Richard, 2011). 

In Pakistani colleges, nAwan nand nMahmood (n2010) investigate nthe relationship nbetween 
nleadership nstyle, norganizational nculture, njob nsatisfaction, nand nemployee ncommitment. 
The findings reveal nthat nthese nlibrarians nwork nunder na nbureaucratic nleadership nstyle 
nand have little to do with job commitment or organizational culture. Some of them are 
extremely dedicated to their organization; the only reason librarians are dissatisfied and 
disengaged from their jobs is that they have not experienced job advancement. Gupta (2011) 
investigates the relationship between nhigh nperformance norganizational culture and 
leadership style. GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectives) data 


was collected from 62 societies nand nhigh nperformance norganization, nhierarchical nlinear 
ntechnique nused nto ndetermine outcome numerous nstrategies neffects non nhigh 
nperformance, organizations have common nsocieties, nhumane noriented nculture, ngender 
diversity, and nfuture noriented nare all beneficial neffects non nemployee nperformance.In 
Australia, nNguyen and nMohamed (n2011) investigated the impact of nleadership non 
nlearning nand nskill nmanagement, as well as its impact non norganizational nculture. 
Variables included ntransformational, ntransactional, corporate nculture, nand nknowledge 
nmanagement. The findings suggest that transactional and transformational leadership have a 
good association with knowledge management, but contingent leadership has a negative link 
with knowledge management. nOrganizational nculture and leadership have positive and 
negative relationships at times, which are completely dependent on norganizational nculture 
nbecause norganizational ncultures ncreate nleadership ntypes that are ngood nfor nthe 
norganization nand nsometimes ncreate the nworst nconditions for the organization nto ngrow 
nand nrun nits nbusiness. nErkutlu (n2012) investigates the nmoderate corporate nculture's 
relationship nwith nshared nand nproactive nleadership nconduct. In 26 organizations, the 
findings suggest that shared leadership is positively associated to proactive leadership 
behavior and generates a stronger supportive culture. Some leadership roles and 
responsibilities have beneficial influence on their team members, and the team members 
exhibit proactive conduct. 

In Africa, there are studies that can be referred to in the overall Performance in firms. For 
instance, In Ghana, there was a study done to determine how high-performing organizations 
managed their performance and the findings were that organizations with an open-door 


policy one that had the employees tie in the mission and vision statement tied to their 
personal goals and career growth were found to perform better than those that had a mission 
statement that their staff would not relate to (Musyoka 2016). 

Abaidoo (2018) did a study to determine the elements nthat vcontribute to nthe nimprovement 
nof nacademic nperformance nof njunior nhigh nstudents (JHS) nat nGomoa Manso nBasic 
nSchool nin nGhana's nCentral nRegion's nGomo-East nDistrict. nA nsample nsize nof n87 
nrespondents (n79 kids and n8n instructors) was obtained using a nmixed nand ndescriptive 
nresearch ndesign using na nrandom nsampling ntechnique. According to nthe nfindings, nthe 
naverage nacademic nperformance nof nJHS nstudents nat nGomoa nManso nBasic nSchool nis 
npoor (47.0 percent), nand ntheir nperformancenin nMathematics (naverage nscore nof 31.48 
percent) nand nEnglish nLanguage (naverage nscore nnof n39.99 npercent) is failing. nRegular 
nstudying, nself-motivation, npunctuality, nand nracial ndiversity are all student attributes that 
contribute to improved academic achievement. According to the findings, one of the most 
important parent aspects was parents demonstrating interest nin ntheir nchildren's nacademics 
nand nmeeting ntheir academic ndemands. The availability of text books and TLMs were key 
school considerations. The study also discovered that nparental neducation and ngender had a 
npositive nlink nwith nacademic nperformance, nbut that this relationship is minor. Age, on the 
other hand, plays a role.. 

The aggregate of all departments' accomplishments is considered organizational 
performance. nThe norganizational ngoals nthat nhave nbeen ndefined for na specific time 
nperiod, as well as the successes nthat nare included nin neach step (nLee & nHuang, n2012). 


nThe concept nof norganizational nperformance is linked nnto a company's existence and 
success (Ahmed &Shafiq, 2014). 

In Kenya, in-depth studies on organizational performance have been conducted for instance; 
according to Kingei (2015), a well-performing public organization gives special attention to 
service delivery, satisfaction by user and the need to continuously improve. Performance in 
the public sector is viewed as effective and quality delivery which is measured in terms of the 
duration of time taken by a public officer to address the needs or requests of its clients, the 
way these organizations utilize scarce resources and how they use the taxpayers' money to 
provide services. 

1.1.2 Leadership Practices 

Leadership is about influencing others to work and collaborate with the leader towards a 
common target resulting in the advancement of the team (Minja, 2010). According to Duze 
(2012), Principals’ in high schools are seen as leaders and perform administrative functions. 
In addition to carrying out administrative functions they undertake other roles in planning, 
directing, organizing controlling and coordinating. They possess also importantly leadership 
qualities that enhance their optimal performance. 

As organizations advance, demand for good performance and better leadership increases. 
Good leadership empowers others to maintain vision, flexibility and create strategic change 
and endearing future in an institution. To enable sustained business and organizational 
growth and survival, a focus on organizational leadership is an important management 
approach that works for the good of both employees and management. 


Several United Kingdom (UK) researchers have adduced that the success of an institution is 
dependent on its leadership. (Wekesa, 2013). A study conducted by, Kyla (2010) on school 
performance revealed that the main limitations to effective leadership practices entail; 
insufficient consistency in communication of principals and the respective district officers 
which is coupled with lack of professionalism for principals. Support of principals by district 
leaders in use of data driven decision making should be enhanced. Secondly principal 
turnover negatively affects student performance as a result of disruptions in teamwork and 
sharing of leadership mandates with teachers. Thirdly poor leadership, lacked focus on 
improvement of teaching methods in high schools. Fourthly, lack of a holistic approach to 
reform the education sector was noted in most of the United States of America. 

Research on effective school’s leadership has been undertaken in Africa by Verspoors 
(2006). The research study found out that various factors contributed to school excellence. It 
was noted that factors such as availability of instructional resources, student involvement 
contributed toward school excellence. Providing a good learning atmosphere with all 
supportive amenities made learning more effective and enhanced a sense of belonging. 

nIn nKenya, nresearchers nhave nreported nfindings non nwhat naccounts nfor effective school 
leadership. nFor ninstance, Waithiegeni (2013) advised that the KCSE results in Kenya are 
affected by factors differ from one school to another based on the challenges, exposed to 
students when preparing for examinations. Leadership features as a major contributor to 
difference in performance of schools. Good management and leadership styles are 
recommended for high performance. Eze (2011) observes that there is a great link between 


performance in school and styles leadership adopted. Nyabogo (2011) asserted that better 
progress in the performance of schools is credited to good leadership practices applied. 

Fransua (2019) conducted a study to investigate Leadership style and Performance of 
Secondary Schools of Wolaita Zone in Addis Ababa. The study investigated principal’s 
leadership style based on the perception of teachers and principals self-rating about their 
leadership style. To investigate this topic a mixed methodology, that is, qualitative and 
quantitative design was employed. Qualitative data were investigated from interviews 
conducted with all school principals and 20 teachers purposefully selected from the 
secondary schools selected for this study. Quantitative data was investigated from the 
standardized questioners developed by Bas sin 1985 and was revised several times through 
subsequent research by Bass and Avolio (1995) to measure the transformational and 
transactional leadership styles. nThe nquantitative ndata nwas nanalyzed nbyn using statistical 
instrument nSPSS nversion 20. nThe result of the study indicated that all principals in the 
selected secondary schools were male, 90% of them were Bachelor degree holders, averagely 
with ten years of service and aged between 31 – 40 years. It also revealed that 87% of 
teachers were male and 13% of them were female teachers indicating that the teaching 
profession is dominated by male teachers. The finding also indicated that, teachers of all 
sample secondary schools perceived that their principals frequently exercised 
transformational leadership style and fairly often practice transactional leadership style. T 

Yamina (2012) investigated leadership strategies in effective schools in three Canadian 
provinces: Ontario, Québec, and New Brunswick, all of which are economically 


disadvantaged. The study was done at five successful schools that were chosen based on 
student performance on province-wide standardized exams as well as some risk factors 
including rural location and poor socioeconomic status. Triangulation and diverse data 
sources were employed to increase the study's validity: (1) individual interviews; (2) 
observation of school principals; (3) field documentation; (4) student essays; and (5) internal 
school papers such as mission statement, rules, and directives. Department of Education 
heads and school board administrators, school principals and vice principals, and teachers 
were among those who attended. The findings revealed that effective school leadership 
practices can be categorized into five categories: setting goals and expectations; strategic 
resourcing; curriculum planning, coordination, and evaluation; promoting and participating 
in teacher supervision and development; and maintaining order and support.. 

Motlalepula (2013) undertook a study to investigate and identify school principal leadership 
techniques aimed at creating and nurturing a culture favorable to good academic achievement 
in Lesotho's high schools. The study also contrasted the leadership strategies of schools with 
high academic achievement to those of schools with low academic performance. The study 
took a positivist approach, employing quantitative research to identify and describe school 
administrators' leadership methods as well as the cultures that exist in schools. A 
questionnaire was created and utilized to collect information from 120 teachers and 
principals from 20 high schools in the Maseru area of Lesotho. The obtained data was 
statistically evaluated and interpreted, with the results displayed in tables. The study 
discovered that a principal's influence in affecting school culture may not be as prominent as 
it appears, because most of the principal's actions are mediated through teachers. 


Nyangarika, (2020) conducted a study on role of heads of schools as educational leaders 
play a crucial role in influencing teachers' job performance. Most of the heads of the school's 
leadership practices in the Arusha district were not supporting many teachers which led to 
poor teachers' performance. nThis nstudy nfocused non nthe nassessment nof heads nof school's 
leadership practices non nteachers' njob performance nin secondary nschools in Arusha 
ndistrict. nThis nstudy nused a case study ndesign; both primary and secondary data were 
collected and used from a sample of 90 respondents through questionnaires and document 
analysis. Data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques. 
Teachers were satisfied with the heads of school's involvement in decision making practices 
by 38 (42.2%), neutral by 28 (31.1%) on motivation practices, and satisfied by 41 (45.6%) on 
control practices. Quantitative data analysis showed that there was no relationship between 
heads of school's decision making practices (0.061) and motivation practices (0.147) on 
teachers' job performance respectively and also there was a relationship between heads of 
schools control practices on teachers' job performance (0.000. The study recommended to 
strengthen control practices, improve monetary benefits, provision of opportunities for 
further studies, and promoting good relationships. 

Mutuku (2018) conducted a study in Machakos County, Kenya, nto nassess nthen nimpact nof 
head nteachers' ninstructional nleadership methods non nstudents' nacademic achievement. 
nStudents' nacademic nperformance nin nsecondary nschoolsn in nMachakos nCounty nnhas 
nbeen nlow ninn recent nyears nand nnot ncompetitive enough in comparison nto nother 
neighboring ncounties, necessitating research. nThe nstudy's goals were to determine how 
ndefining nthe nschool nmission nby nhead nteachers naffects nacademic nperformance, how 


managing the school instructional program affects academic performance, nhow npromoting 
na npositive nschool learning nclimate naffects nacademic nperformance, nand nhow 
nadvancing nteachers' ninterests nby nhead teachers affects nacademic nperformance. This 
research was based on Bolman and Deal's (2003) leadership frames theory, which states that 
four leadership dimensions contribute to effective leadership: goal clarity, coordination, 
organizational culture, sensitivity to others' human needs, and recognition of how people 
seek to advance their own interests. The research used a survey design. Pearson The 
association between instructional leadership strategies and academic performance was 
investigated using correlation. All four instructional leadership approaches were shown to be 
substantially associated with academic performance (defining the school mission (r (30) 
=0.606), according to the study. 

1.1.3 Public High Schools in Kiambu County, Kenya 

High schools in Kenya are categorized into two sections; Public and private high schools. 
The difference in the two is that Private high schools are privately owned and public high 
schools are Government-sponsored immediate post-primary institutions of learning that 
provide education to scholars before qualifying for tertiary institutions of education. 
According to Kenya’s ministry of education, science and technology, 2014 Statistical booklet 
on basic education, the number of the public high in Kenya stood at 7,680 schools with 
student total population of 23,317,000, teacher population stood at118,608, a teacher-student 
ratio of 19.5 percent was noted. 


According to Kiambu County Website; (https://kiambu.go.ke/education-and-literacy/ 
retrieved on November 22, 2018). The total number of high schools is 303, of which 227 are 
public high schools. The student population is eight nine thousand one hundred and sixty-
five. The teacher population stands at three thousand four hundred and seventy-nine. This 
gives a teacher student ratio of 1 is to 25. 

According to Mukami (2013), the education sector is on the watch of both public and private 
interests, questioning the sector’s capacity to achieve its goals and objectives in instilling 
values, addressing school drop outs, and enhancing production thus resulting to a globally 
effective workforce. Public schools, in particular, face an increasingly competitive and 
dynamic educational environment, and numerous challenges, which have experienced rising 
demand in quality education by the public. Proper leadership practices are critical in realizing 
effective performance in schools. 

n1.2 nStatement nof nthe nProblem 

nEducation department nis tasked in providing nthe highly needed skilled human capital in 
support of the realization of Kenya Vision 2030 goal of a middle-income economy. 
However, a gap still exists in the provision of the needed skilled human resources due to; low 
transition rates of students from high schools to higher institutions of learning. This has been 
arisen from poor performance of public high schools as reflected by the Kenya Certificate of 
Secondary Examination results. Results over the past years have reflected poor performance 
in the high school examinations. A majority of candidates scored below the minimum entry 


points of C+ according to the KNEC website; (kcseresults/2016-GCSE-exam-results-
released.html retrieved on September 4, 2018). 

According to the preceding figures, nann average nof n21% nof nstudents nwho ntook nthe 
nnKCSE nexams nin nKiambu nqualified nfor nfurther enducation. As evidenced by the 
differing viewpoints of many experts, a variety of causes may have led to this low academic 
attainment. Many education stakeholders, professionals, and academics have always blamed 
the head teacher for the school's KCSE exam results. Poor leadership has been cited as the 
main cause of the county's poor KCSE performance. Because most head teachers are seldom 
in school to implement it or are preoccupied with other administrative duties, most schools 
suffer from a lack of delegation of duties, efficient curriculum supervision, and 
implementation. The majority of head teachers do not consult with other teachers while 
making school decisions. 

These factors have an impact on student and teacher morale, resulting in ineffective teaching 
and learning, as well as low performance on national tests such as the KCSE. As previously 
said, due to their many jobs and roles, head teachers play a crucial effect in determining 
academic performance in a school. The level of teacher input and student academic progress 
is determined by their deft fulfillment of their tasks, as well as their regular supervision of 
their teachers. Many principals have failed to lead their schools, resulting in a slew of 
management issues involving ninstitutional nplanning, nhuman nrelations, ndiscipline, 
ninstructional nsupervision, nand ncommunity nrelations, all of which have an impact on 


students' performance. Many academic studies have found that pupils' academic achievement 
is largely influenced by environmental and personal factors. 

The leadership of the head teacher, nthe nquality nand nquantity nof nteachers nand nlearning 
nmaterials (nEshiwani, n1993), financial resources (Kombo, 1988), and the home 
environment are all environmental influences (Kinai, 2002). According to other researchers 
(Anyango, 2001; Ngugi, 2005), success in the KCSE is mostly linked nto npersonal 
nattributes nof ndiscipline nand ngood nmental nability. nFurthermore (nKombo, n1988; nNjeru 
nand nOrodho, n2003) nnoted nthe navailability nof nadequate nphysical nresources nin nschools 
nas nthe major ndeterminants nof nquality nperformance nin nschools. nThese ncontradicting 
nviews nand nthe nlack nof nevidence nof nan study non nthe nleadership npractices nand 
nperformance nof npublic nhigh nschools nin nKiambu nCounty njustified nthe nneed nfor nthis 
nstudy. nThis nstudy ntherefore naimed nat nfinding nout nthe neffect nof nleadership npractices 
nand nperformance nof npublic nhigh nschools nin nKiambu nCounty, nKenya 

n1.3 nObjectives nof nthe nStudy. 

n1.3.1 nGeneral nObjective 

a) nThe overall npurpose of the research nwas nto nexamine leadership practices and 
nperformance of npublic high nschools nin Kiambu nCounty, nKenya. 


n1.3.2 nSpecific nObjectives 

a) nTo nestablish whether performance targets have an influence on school nperformance nof 
npublic nhigh nschools nin the nCounty of Kiambu, nKenya. 



b) nTo ninvestigate if training contribute towards school nperformance nof npublic nhigh 
nschools nin the nCounty of Kiambu, nKenya. 
c) nTo nestablish whether rewards have an influence on school nperformance nof npublic 
nhigh nschools nin the nCounty of Kiambu, nKenya. 
d) To analyze if teamwork contributes towards school performance of public high schools in 
County of Kiambu, Kenya. 


1.4 Research Questions 

a) How do performance targets have an influence non nperformance of public high nschools 
nin Kiambu nCounty, nKenya? 
b) What is the contribution of training towards the performance of public high schools in 
Kiambu County, Kenya? 
c) What influence does rewards have on performance of public high schools in Kiambu 
County, Kenya? 
d) nTo what extent does teamwork contribute towards school performance of public high 
schools in Kiambu County, nKenya? 


n1.5 nSignificance nof nthe nstudy. 

The research nwas relevant nto na variety of participants nin nthe educational field, including 
legislators, government officials, and educators. Leadership npractices nand school 
nperformance was nthe focus of the study. 

nThe nresearch would be beneficial to the Kiambu county government and Kenyan 
Government education sector from the results of the study in relation to leadership practices 


and performance. By replicating of results in this study to all counties, the results would be 
very essential in developing and implementing effective leadership approaches in the 
country. 

The findings from this research would contribute to guiding policymakers in the education 
sector; on effective management of schools and the best leadership approaches on setting 
performance targets, training rewarding and team work geared towards improvement of 
school performance. 

nScholars nand fellow nresearchers nwould nbenefit nfrom nthe contribution of the report to 
leadership practices in relation to performance. The study would help themn come nup nwith 
better nideas non vhow nto nimprove nperformance. 

n1.6 nScope nof nthe nstudy 

Leadership practice nin relation nto performance was discussed with the scope being, thirteen 
selected public high schools within the County of Kiambu, Kenya. Kiambu County has 
thirteen sub-counties namely; Kiambaa, Kabete, Githunguri, Gatundu North, Lari, Gatundu 
South, Limuru, Ruiru, Juja, Kikuyu, Thika west, Kiambu and Thika East. The researcher 
purposively selected a public high school from each sub-county within the County of 
Kiambu. 

The public high schools were purposively selected by the researcher and comprised of 
boarding schools, mixed schools and day schools within the county. The sub-counties within 
Kiambu County provided a diverse set of both Urban and Rural set up. The selection of 
schools based on the sub-counties aimed at the inclusion of both Urban and Rural schools. 


The respondents of the study entailed school principals and teachers in the County of 
Kiambu. The target populace was preferred because it was easily reachable by the researcher. 
Due to the limitation of time and cost implications the researcher narrowed down to only 
thirteen schools in the county each school representing a sub-county. 

To obtain survey participants, a random stratified sampling approach was utilized. A total of 
four principals, seventeen departmental heads, and seventy-six instructors in teaching from 
Kiambu County public high schools were used in the report. Questionnaires were used to 
gather information. The data was quantitatively analyzed. To help in the study, the researcher 
used a variety of methods. 

The researcher reviewed various theories on the research problem being studied. Theories 
under review were; nResource-nBased View nTheory, nHuman nCapital nTheory, and 
Universalistic theory. 

1.7 Limitation of the study 

In undertaking the study challenges were possibly to be encountered in the following areas; 
some respondents experienced fear and intimidation. This made them unwilling to give their 
views for fear of victimization. Their fears were addressed as they were assured of discretion 
in information shared towards the research study. 

Another challenge faced was the misinterpretation of questions which lead to inadvertent 
answers or nunanswered nquestions. The researcher sought to address the challenge by 
preparing nquestions that are nclear and nunderstandable. 


Confidentiality of the information provided by the respondents was a factor which affected 
the research process in the course of the study. Private information by the respondent was at 
risk of being disclosed. The researcher sought to mitigate this risk by anonymising 
questionnaires to protecting the respondents' identity. The information provided was only 
used for the intended purpose of research. The study was limited to descriptive research 
design. 

n1.8 nOrganization nof nthe nstudy 

The study consists of five chapters. Chapter one, consists of the brief background of the 
study, problem statement, objectives and questions generated from the study, scope and 
nsignificance nof nthe nstudy, nlimitations nto nthe nstudy, nand norganization nof nthe nstudy. 
nThe nconceptual nframework, ntheoretical nand nempirical nreview nis npresented nin nchapter 
ntwo. nChapter three of nthe project entails nthe methodology used in the research project. 
Chapter four consists of research findings on the research question, while chapter five 
provides a detailed nsummary, conclusion and recommendation nof nthe nstudy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

nCHAPTER TWO 

 n LITERATURE REVIEW 

2.0 Introduction 

nThis section nprovides an overview nof existing and related theories that help the report's 
research question. The literature review concentrated on elements or characteristics of 
leadership and performance. In order to explain further study, the researcher often conducts a 
critique of other studies. The report's empirical research and analytical framework were 
presented in this chapter. 

2.1Theoretical Review 

Various theories that provide literature for review on the research problem being studied 
were reviewed. 

n2.1.1 nResource-nBased nView nTheory 

Penrose (1959) introduced the nconcept nof nResource nBased nView(nRBV). It tested how 
firms develop competitive advantage. The theory explores on how organizations utilize and 
use internal resources. This view was expounded by Barney (1991) to argue that each 
organization have a distinctive package of competencies, resources and capabilities and it is 
the amalgamation of these which permit it to develop lasting competitive advantage. The 
basis for a firm’s competitive advantage is argued to lie basically on the nutilization nof 


ntangible nand nintangible nresources that are nin an institution. The theory advocates the 
development and use of specific investment in uncertain times is important for firms’ long-
run success. 

The RBV discusses and affirms organizational capital in order to determine how enterprises 
achieve long-term competitive advantage. Assets which can be moved or acquired necessitate 
a major shift in general societal environment and culture. They are more likely to be 
exclusive to the business and thus more difficult to replicate by rivals. The ability of 
institutions to function differently is determined by their unique resources and capacities. The 
RBV emphasizes the concept of hard-to-imitate organizational characteristics as indicators of 
high success (Barney, 1986; Prahalad and Hamel, 1996). 

Barney (1986) asserted that valuable resources empower an organization to conduct business 
in a way that lowers cost, increase sales and maximizes profit margins to add financial value 
in the firm. Resources that enable a firm implement its strategies, enhance efficiency and 
effectiveness and value to the firm (Campbell and Luchs, 1997). Resource based view theory 
advocates that competences are most crucial assets for improvement of business 
performance. Organization culture, past experience and competences are key attributes that 
contribute to a firm’s success (Hamel and Prahalad, 1996). 

Material assets (physical, technical, facility, and hardware), human resources (coaching, 
expertise, and experiences), and institutional capital (formal structures) are the three types of 
resources defined by Barney (1991). Production/maintenance assets are considered at the 
major level, Organizational assets, Institutional learning materials, and expected goal 


possessions were also identified by Brumagim (1994) in a classification of assets with 
discrete aspects of institutional resource base. 

The uncertainty of concepts connected with the RBV, the recurring aspect of some of the 
viewpoints influencing beliefs, and analytical problems are all drawbacks of the RBV. Since 
various words are used to analyze the performance of RBV tests, it's hard to analyze the 
outcomes of different study results. Different scholars use varying definitions for key words 
such as capabilities, skills, and tools, others use them synonymously. This theory bolsters on 
the performance target variable as part of the formal structure an organization can set to 
achieve performance 

2.1.2 Human Capital theory 

Schultz (1961) predicted Human Resource, and Becker developed it broadly (1964). Human 
Capital was developed in the 1960s as a consequence of the realization that capital 
accumulation plays just a minor role in income development, according to Becker's work 
"Human Capital": This was a theory and practice study with regards to schooling. The 
introduction of schooling and capability creation of military science have aided in the 
discovery of this hypothesis. 

Becker was among the pioneer economist that went against the norm and reviewed the 
subjects within the sociology context. He discussed issues of ethnic discrimination, 
corruption, drug addiction and family society. He agreed that different human behaviors can 
be termed rational and profit maximizing. He also advocated for learning and development of 
Human capital. 


Human Capital adduces that learning and training increases employee productivity through 
transfer of skills, knowledge for the future. It suggests that accumulation of learning leads to 
better earnings. Education is considered a costly investment that yields increased earnings 
(Becker, 1994). 

Block (1990) critics the Human capital theory as being unable to understand human 
movement and focused on the exchange of goods and services. Human capital is created by 
accumulation of capital. Having this clarification Human capital is the mental form of labour, 
a product of creation of social value. Human capital is part of day to day life of an 
entrepreneur and cannot be separated independently. The theory also assumes that learning 
improves productivity; however, it did not put into consideration the transfer of learning.This 
theory bolsters on the training variable as it assumes training improves productivity and 
result to higher performance. 

2.1.3 Universalistic Theory 

Universalistic theory suggests that adopting best practices approach in Human resource 
would result to better organization performance through increased productivity, increased 
return on investment, better quality products and services, reduced absenteeism and labor 
turnover. The idea of best practice according to Marchington and Wilkinson (2012) was 
introduced in the early US models of Human Resource Management. Key Human Resource 
strategic practices are first identified so as to make universalistic predictions, opinions and 
views that relate to each practice is given. Universalistic view outlines the connection of the 
variables (both dependent and independent). 


Organization with long-standing reward framework for their top managers registered high 
earnings, this was within five years. This organization achieve higher than other 
organizations that did not embrace long-term reward Human resource strategies. According 
to Gerhart (1990) Organizations that achieve better monetary performance were those that 
embraced performance contingent pay strategy in rewarding their workforce. Universalistic 
theory identifies best practices that achieve good results within different organizations. This 
theory notes that what leads to excellent outcome in a business do not necessarily yield good 
outcome in other organizations given that they operate at different technological and working 
environments (Leonard 1990).This theory bolsters on the reward variable as it argues that 
organizations that achieve better monetary performance if they embrace performance 
contingent pay strategy in rewarding their workforce. 

2.1.4 Elton Mayo's Management Theory 

Elton Mayo proposed the Elton Mayo management theory (1927). Employees are motivated 
far more by relational factors such as attention and camaraderie than by monetary rewards or 
environmental factors such as lighting and humidity, according to Elton Mayo's management 
theory (Dininni 2011). Elton Mayo's contribution to management theory paved the 
foundation for modern human resource management practices to emerge. Mayo's idea is 
based on his well-known Hawthorne studies, in which he observed employee productivity 
levels under various working environments. His experiments laid the foundation for later 
approaches to group dynamics and team building. Mayo claims that groups with high norms 
and cohesiveness have the greatest positive impact because members encourage one another 


to achieve their goals (Dininni 2011). Workers, according to Elton Mayo, aren't just 
concerned with money; they may also function well if their social requirements are addressed 
while they're at work. He also pointed out that work is a collective activity that necessitates 
group collaboration, which is not something that happens by chance but rather must be 
planned and nurtured. Workers value better communication between managers and workers, 
according to Mayo's research. Elton Mayo's management theory was deemed appropriate for 
the study by the researcher since it clearly articulated the foundations of worker interactions 
that lead to cooperation and hence increased performance. He mentioned the need for more 
worker participation, more trust and openness in the workplace, and more attention to teams 
and groups in the workplace. Mayo's study in the mid-1990s gave birth to the supposedly 
new ideas of "group dynamics," "teamwork," and organizational "social systems." Employee 
performance should never exceed 50% of their individual potential to perform; otherwise, 
they will suffer from low morale, which will lead to poor performance and lack of 
professionalism, which is an organization's worst nightmare (Finer 2000). This encourages 
employee participation.The theory bolsters on teamwork variable. 

2.2 Empirical Review 

2.2.1 Performance Targets and Performance 

Teo, (2016) conducted a study on impact of goal setting on employee effectiveness to 
improve organization effectiveness: empirical study of a high-tech company in Singapore 
goal .The researcher developed a conceptual model on goal setting and its relationship with 
employee effectiveness and organisation effectiveness. Three hypotheses formulated for this 


study were tested for its validity and reliability through a qualitative research. The literature 
search and review provided sufficient evidences to support the three hypotheses and its 
linkages. The findings of this empirical research suggested that the three hypotheses tested 
were valid and reliable and are evident in their organization. There was unanimous 
concurrence amongst the research interview participants that goal setting has a role to play in 
the relationship depicted in the conceptual model and that it has an impact on employee 
effectiveness and ultimately improves organisation effectiveness 

Asmus, (2015) conducted a study on influence of goal-setting on worker performance in an 
industrial production process. The study conducted a real-effort experiment at the Training 
Factory for Energy Productivity at the Technische Universität München. The participants’ 
performance was measured by checking for quantity and quality of the assembled products 
and furthermore by recording the consumed compressed air per finished good. In total four 
groups were defined, each group in a different experimental setting. This experiment was the 
first one ever conducted related to goal-setting in an industrial .Results revealed that even 
without financial incentives goal-setting improves worker performance by 12 to 15% 
compared to the situation where no goals were defined. 

The research focused on state-owned sugar companies in Kenya, including Sonysugar, 
Chemelil, Nzoia, and Muhoroni sugar companies, and Otieno (2013) conducted a study to 
analyze the influence of performance appraisal on organizational performance. A target 
population of 1,200 employees from four sugar companies was considered for the study, with 
a sample size of 120 employees.The sample was divided into three groups: top management, 


middle management, and supervisory personnel. Primary and secondary data were employed 
in the investigation. The primary data was gathered by a structured questionnaire, while the 
secondary data was gathered through archive research. The data was evaluated with 
descriptive statistics, and frequencies were calculated. According to the findings, the 
performance appraisal process has an impact on the overall organization's performance. 
Based on the conclusions of this study, sugar companies should address all performance 
difficulties in order to remain viable and competitive in the industry. According to the study's 
findings, state-owned sugar enterprises employ 84 percent more male personnel than 
privately owned sugar companies. The studies also found that the majority (50 percent) of 
employees in state-owned sugar enterprises are between the ages of 31 and 40, and that (45 
percent) of the employees are above 41. The research also found that a large percentage of 
the workforce, 68 percent, are long-term employees who have worked for their companies 
for more than 11 years. The attainment of established targets and good performance are 
attributed to the length of service of the majority of personnel. The survey also indicated that 
managers' involvement in defining performance targets has an impact on performance in 
state-owned sugar enterprises, as 90 percent of respondents agreed. 

Mwangi (2012) performed research into the elements that influence employee performance 
in Mathira East District Tea SACCOs. A descriptive research design was used in this study. 
For the personnel of the SACCOs, census sampling was used. The respondents filled out 
questionnaires, which were used to collect data. The information gathered was examined 
using descriptive approaches such as such as percentages and Pearson correlations. Charts, 


graphs, and frequency tables were utilized to present the data. The majority of SACCOs, 
according to the survey, lack strategic objectives and performance targets. 

2.2.2 Training and Performance 

Gunu, et al, (2013) described training as an organizational development approach in order to 
adapt to changes in shifting customer tastes and preferences, market environment and 
matching employee skill set to the market needs. 

Wangari (2019) conducted research to determine the impact of training on employee 
performance at BATUK. The particular goals included determining the impact of on-the-job 
training, instructor-led training, online training, and teamwork training on the performance of 
BATUK employees. Social learning theory, experiential learning theory, and transformative 
learning theory drove this study. The study used a descriptive survey research approach, with 
the target population consisting of all 520 BATUK regular employees. The data was 
analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as sampling. In the data analysis, 
Microsoft Excel was employed in addition to SPSS. Frequencies and means were included in 
the descriptive statistics, whereas inferential statistics were included in the inferential 
statistics.. Frequencies and means were among the descriptive statistics, while correlation 
analysis and regression were among the inferential statistics. The relationship between the 
variables was established using correlation analysis, and the effects of the different types of 
training on employee performance were tested using a multiple linear regression model. 

Wesonga (2018) conducted research to determine the impact of PALWECO's delivery 
methods on employee performance, the impact of training evaluation on employee 


performance at PALWECO, and the impact of training need assessment on employee 
performance in PALWECO. The study used a descriptive research design, with a target 
population of all 112 employees.in PALWECO Busia County. Training need assessment, 
training delivery methodologies, and training evaluation all had a substantial impact on 
employee performance, according to the findings. Employee training is responsible for up to 
61.0 percent of the variation in employee performance. Staff training in PALWECO was 
found to have a significant impact on employee performance.. 

Agwenyi (2017) investigated the impact of training on staff performance in Kenya's postal 
company. The goal was to see how TNA, training design, training delivery, and training 
assessment affect employee performance. It was based on action theory, a human capital 
paradigm that stresses training as a means of improving performance . A descriptive research 
design was used in this study. There were 506 employees in the Kenyan postal corporation's 
headquarters. Stratified random sampling was used to select sample sizes of 102 employees. 
Data was collected via questionnaires, which were analyzed using descriptive and inferential 
statistics and displayed in graphs, charts, and tables. According to the findings, there is a link 
between training and performance a success.. 

Maina (2017) conducted research into the impact of training on police officer performance in 
the Kenya Police Service. The study used a population of 85 active police officers and 47197 
households. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the impact of training on 
police officer performance in the Kenya Police Service. Field training had a positive and 
statistically significant influence on police officer performance in Kenya, but on-the-job 


training and off-the-job training had a positive but statistically insignificant effect on police 
officer performance in Kenya. 

The print media industry of Ghana was under study by Howard (2012) in which he sought to 
assess employee learning in relation to organization performance. A correlation analysis was 
conducted between employee learning and organization performance and found a positive 
relationship. The training programs were noted to be less frequent in Ghana’s print media 
industry. Some employees were missing training programs; however, most of employees 
were aware of training programs. It was further advised that employees undergo frequent 
training due to the ever changing needs in the work environment and dynamic changes in the 
employee skill set. 

 A study of five selected organizations in Pakistan corporate sector was undertaken by 
Naveed and Shahazani (2016). The researchers needed to see how teaching influenced job 
efficiency in the workplace. The 201 participants were chosen using a convenient sampling 
method. Questionnaires were used to gather information. According to the study's results, 
preparation has a positive effect on job success in the private sector in Pakistan. 

Mammud and Aigbepue (2012) performed a survey method of 100 employees from different 
market organizations in the Oredo municipality region of Edo state, Nigeria. Data was 
collected using systematic surveys. The impact of human resources preparation and growth 
on operational success was positive. The findings recommend that organizations regularly 
take their staff through training programs to build capacity for enhancing performance. 


2.2.3 Reward and Performance 

Reward is the payment made for the exchange of services rendered or a return on work 
undertaken by an employee (Lin 2007). Rewards should motivate an employee and at the 
same time, bring to attention of both the employee and the supervisor the performance 
standards set to be meet for good organization performance. Rewards according to Mbogho 
(2012) come in two different forms; incentives and personal growth motivation. 

Kiprop (2018) investigated how teacher performance is affected by base pay, overtime pay, 
payment for performance, recognition, and the work environment. The descriptive research 
approach was chosen for this study because it allowed for the simultaneous analysis of 
several variables, allowing the researcher to assess the impact of different rewards on 
secondary school teachers' task performance. With the use of the Statistical Package for 
Social Sciences, the data was examined using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. 
The findings revealed that the instructors' base income and overtime pay had a substantial 
impact on their performance. Teachers' performance was unaffected by pay for performance, 
recognition, or work environment. According to the findings, non-monetary incentives have a 
good but minor influence on performance, whereas proper remuneration for both overtime 
and salary will increase the teacher's performance. Teachers who perform well are rewarded 
heavily.. 

Wangai (2018) did a study at Mukurwe-ini Wakulima dairy Ltd to investigate the impact of a 
comprehensive compensation scheme on employee retention. The study's particular aims 
were to assess the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, as well as career growth and 


learning opportunities, on staff retention at Mukurwe-ini Wakulima Dairy ltd. All of the 
employees were asked to participate in the survey, which was done in a census-style manner. 
In the analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The percentage variance in 
employee retention explained by total rewards system factors was calculated using ANOVA. 
The SPSS software was used as the primary analytical to. Variation in the total reward 
system variables, such as intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards, career development, and 
learning opportunities, explained 79.20 percent of the variation in employee retention at 
Wakulima Dairy Ltd (the dependent variable), as indicated by R square (independent 
variables). All of the variables in the total reward system were statistically significant 
predictors of employee retention, according to the study's findings. 

Waithira (2018) conducted research to determine the impact of rewards strategies on 
employee performance in FCI. It was specifically designed to determine the effects of 
monetary and non-monetary incentives, promotion systems, and recognition on employee 
performance in the workplace. The study, which also included 152 FCI employees, used a 
case study design. Because the research population was so tiny, the census method was 
adopted. The findings found that, first, most employees were dissatisfied with their pay, and 
that it was unclear whether the firm's current monetary incentives improved employee 
performance.. It was also discovered that the company's present recognition practices were 
having a significant impact on employee performance. 

Juma (2013) conducted research into the influence of incentive and compensation schemes 
on employee performance. The survey method was used in the research. All 220 Nairobi 


employees were included in the target population. The study discovered that reward and 
compensation systems had both positive and negative effects on employee performance, with 
positive effects including increased efficiency and effectiveness, productivity, and morale, 
and negative effects including labor turnover, reduced productivity, and work performance. 
Improvements to reward and pay systems are proposed, as well as additional research into 
ways for dealing with issues such as employee recruitment and retention.. 

In the National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation, Assava (2012) conducted a 
study to determine the effects of the reward system on staff performance. A descriptive study 
design was used to collect data necessary for the achievement of the research objectives. The 
outcomes of the study on the existence of a reward system at NWC&PC revealed that the 
organization does have a reward system, but not a comprehensive one. This is due to the fact 
that only 56% of respondents agreed with this viewpoint. Salary and compensation, annual 
performance bonuses, and monthly target-based incentive programs were all cited as 
evidence of the exclusion.. The findings on the relationship between reward systems and 
organizational performance revealed that there is, in fact, a link between the two, as 
confirmed by the majority of respondents. 

A research study was undertaken to ascertain the connection linking teacher incentives and 
students’ scores in Teso and Busia districts. The outcomes revealed an enhancement of 
performance in the countrywide examinations; this was consequent to teacher based 
incentives (Jacoby and Glewwe, 2011). 


Research undertaken in Ikuyu district linking teacher commitment and performance based 
rewards, it was established that performance related rewards increased productivity and 
enhanced engagement between students and teachers. It was also noted that performance 
based rewards attracted able teachers in schools within Kikuyu sub-county (Gatere 2015). 

2.2.4 Teamwork and Performance 

Teamwork is the cooperative power of a team to attain a common goal or to complete a chore 
in the most actual and efficient way. A team, according to Armstrong (2019), is a community 
of individuals who have a shared desire and come together to accomplish common 
objectives. Individual members' various abilities are enhanced by well formed collaboration 
relationships, which include innovative problem-solving capabilities and ease of 
understanding as novel ideas are introduced. Learning gets better when there is good 
collaboration than when there isn't, and person success increases as a consequence of the 
increased experience (Howard, Turban & Hurley, 2016). 

Effect of team work was assessed on the aspect of organization performance conducted in 
Kamto Anokye Training Hospital revealed that teamwork and team performance measurers 
is related to performance of the organization. Research was undertaken using semi-structured 
questionnaires in data collection. Employees were selected through convenience sampling 
technique while management was selected through purposive sampling technique (Boakye, 
2015). 


A study was undertaken on the impact of teamwork in relation to performance of Dofar 
University members of faculty. The researcher further sought to assess the concept of 
teamwork in the work environment (Hisam and Sanyal 2018). 

Wangila,(2020) conducted research in selected public secondary schools in Nairobi City 
County, Kenya, to investigate the impact of staff training, reward systems, employee 
involvement, and employee cooperation on performance. A descriptive study design was 
used in this research. The study relied on original data collected through questionnaires. 
Employee training, involvement, reward systems, and teamwork were all found to have a 
significant favorable impact on school performance in the study. In terms of employee 
training, the study suggests that staying up to date with new technology and thus making 
better use of present technology directly improves staff effectiveness and productivity. 

Kitonga (2014) did a study on the factors that influence teacher participation in teamwork for 
increased performance in Taita district public secondary schools. It used a descriptive 
research design to target one hundred and forty-eight TSC employed teachers in the district's 
eighteen secondary schools. The sample schools and respondent teachers were chosen using 
a stratified random selection technique. The findings revealed that teacher engagement in 
collaboration is higher in institutions that practice democratic leadership, and that democratic 
leadership, training, and a positive school atmosphere are all essential factors in teacher 
teamwork participation. Furthermore, the study found that participation in teamwork by 
teachers is a requirement for higher performance. 


Mulu (2013) did research to evaluate the characteristics that influence teamwork in EPZ Ltd's 
indigo clothing. The descriptive survey research design was used in this study. According to 
the findings, cultural beliefs have an impact on collaboration in the workplace by causing 
misunderstandings among team members, competing viewpoints on topics, a lack of 
cohesiveness among team members, poor communication, disputes, and poor performance. 
The majority of the team members used intranet to connect with one another, according to 
the research. The study discovered that intranet communication has a significant impact on 
organizational cooperation. According to the findings of the study, their organization 
provided training to its members. The study discovered that team member training had a 
significant impact on organizational teamwork. 

Wepkhulu (2012) conducted research to investigate the impact of cooperation on energy 
sector performance. The study design used descriptive survey approach. The study was 
crucial since KPLC, as Kenya's sole distributor of electrical energy, plays an important role 
in the country's economy. According to the findings, in order for businesses to achieve their 
strategic goals, they must address both internal and external issues that drive teambuilding. 
Organizational culture, personnel, top management perception, resources available, and 
organizational policy are all internal concerns that must be addressed. Political impact, for 
example, is an external force that requires consideration. 

2.3 Leadership Practices and School Performance. 

Shanker, (2016) made a review on how principals understanding leadership practices may 
impact on student learning. In Kathmandu Municipal Area, five low-performing and high-


performing schools were chosen. For the participants, in-depth discussions and independent 
focus group sessions were held. The observations were categorized into six categories of 
successful academic leaders: visioning and goal-setting, creating a healthy school 
environment, helping teachers and pupils, improving staff governance, leveraging capital, 
and guiding toward quality improvement. 

In a study conducted by Massawe (2014), on leadership practices of school heads indicated 
that school heads teachers have lost their symbolic leadership trait due to withdrawal from 
schooling and responsibilities that are related to scholarly curriculum. The study 
recommended that school heads adopt a collaborative approach in engagement of 
stakeholders in decision making. 

A descriptive survey was conducted by Salfi (2011) to identify the leadership practices by 
head teachers at secondary school level in Pakistan. A sample of 351 high school heads, 702 
high school teachers of Punjab province was selected. An analysis of relevant studies on 
academic performance and pupil attainment records provided research outlets. Various 
stakeholders, such as professors, guardians, and pupils too were interviewed using semi - 
structured interview. The findings of the study emphasized on professional development of 
teachers and involvement of parents and the society in the process of enhancing school 
performance. 

Ahmed,(2020) did a study to investigate the impact of head teachers' leadership styles on 
teachers' work performance in the integration of visually impaired (VI) students in Lamu 
County, Kenya's integrated public primary schools. The research was conducted using a 


descriptive research approach. It was discovered that head teachers saw themselves as having 
democratic leadership, while teachers said that they did not. Furthermore, the study 
discovered that leadership styles had a considerable impact on teacher performance. 
According to the report, teacher education courses should be improved to include successful 
leadership approaches. More research on this topic, with a bigger population, is needed to 
discover the extent to which leadership influences educational inclusion. 

In Nairobi City County, Kenya, Kabiru(2020) conducted a study to investigate the impact of 
leadership styles on employee performance in selected commercial banks. A descriptive 
survey research design was used in this study. The respondents were chosen using a simple 
random sampling method and a proportionate stratified sampling method. Transactional 
leadership style, transformational leadership style, laissez-faire leadership style, and 
bureaucratic leadership style all had a favorable impact on employee performance, according 
to the study.. 

Kipkulei (2015) conducted a study to determine the impact of a principal's leadership 
attributes on student co-curricular activity performance. Regression analysis was used to 
determine the association between variables during data analysis. Leadership styles were 
discovered to have a considerable impact on students' performance in co-curricular activities. 
Other leadership qualities, such as leadership skills and leadership ethics, have a favorable 
and significant impact on students' Co-curricular Activity performance. 

Muhia (2014) conducted research to assess the impact of principals' leadership on school 
administration, determine the impact of principals' leadership on teachers' work satisfaction 


in secondary schools, and determine the impact of principals' leadership on student 
performance. A descriptive survey design was used in this investigation. In terms of 
leadership styles, the study discovered that participatory leadership was applied in 58 (74 
percent) of the respondents' schools. Despite the fact that participative leadership is the 
prevalent leadership style in Njoro District, the majority of secondary school principals used 
mixed leadership styles. 

2.4 Summary of the Literature and Research Gap 

 Literature review is summarized as follows below on the table below. 

Table 2.1 Literature Summary and Research Gap 

Authors 

Topic 

Findings 

Research Gap 

Teo, 

(2016) 

Impact of goal setting on 
employee effectiveness to 
improve organization 
effectiveness: empirical 
study of a high-tech 
company in Singapore 
goal. 

The study adduced that 
goal setting has a positive 
impact on employee 
effectiveness. 

The study was 
conducted in 
Singapore 
presenting a 
geographical gap 

Asmus, 

(2015) 

Influence of goal-setting 
on worker performance in 

incentives goal-setting 
improves worker 

The study 
presented a 




an industrial production 
process. 

performance by 12 to 15% 
compared to the situation 
where no goals were 
defined 

conceptual gap as it 
focused on 
industrial 
production while 
our study focused 
on goa setting in 
school evironment 

Howard (2012) 

Effect of training 
employees on performance 
of organizations in print-
media industry in Ghana. 

A strong link between 
employee training and 
organization performance 
was identified in the study. 
It was recommended that 
frequent employee training 
and to meet the demand 
for change in employees' 
skills. 

The findings of the 
study could not be 
generalized 

Maina ,(2017) 

investigate the influence of 
training on performance of 
police officers in Kenya 
Police Service 

training had positive and 
statistically significant 
effect on performance of 
police officers in the 
Kenya Police Service 

The study 
presented a 
contextual gap it 
focused on training 
in Kenya Police 




while on-the-job training 
and off-the-job training 
had positive but 
statistically insignificant 
effect on performance of 
police officers in the 
Kenya Police Service 

Service while our 
study will focus on 
training 
contribution 
towards school 
performance of 
public high schools 
in the County of 
Kiambu, Kenya. 

Boakye, 
(2015). 

Impact of working in 
teams on performance of 
employees. 

Organizational 
performance significantly 
and positively impacted by 
teamwork. The study 
results showed a 
connection linking 
teamwork and 
performance of 
employees. 

The study was not 
conclusive, the 
study is needed on 
training programs 
on how to create 
and operate in 
teams. 

Hisam & 
Sanyal (2018) 

The Result of Teamwork 
on employee work 
performance: A Study of 

Variables under study such 
as leadership structures, 
teamwork were revealed to 

The findings to the 
study could not be 
generalized as its 




Members of Faculty in 
Dhofar University 

affect work performance. 

focus was on 
Faculty members at 
Dhofar University. 

Shanker, 
(2016) 

Principals Leadership role 
in Selected Public high 
Schools in Kathmandu, 
Nepal 

Dimensions of effective 
school leadership were 
identified; goal setting and 
vision building, leadership 
training of employees. 
This dimensioned were 
linked improved school 
performance. 

The research 
outlined leadership 
practices but lacked 
to relate them to 
the Performance in 
the selected 
schools. 

Assava, 

(2012) 

the effects of reward 
system on employee 
performance in National 
Water Conservation and 
Pipeline Corporation. 

Findings on the existence 
of a reward system in 
NWC&PC indicated that 
indeed there exists a 
reward system in the 
organization, although not 
a comprehensive one. 

Results could not 
be generalized for 
high schools since 
it only focused 
National Water 
Conservation and 
Pipeline 
Corporation 

Wangila, 

The influence of employee 

The study found a 

The study 




(2020) 

training, rewarding system, 
employee participation and 
employee teamwork on 
performance in selected 
public secondary schools 
in Nairobi City County, 
Kenya. 

significant positive 
relationship between 
employee training, 
participation, reward 
systems and teamwork on 
performance of schools. 

presented a 
geographical gap as 
it focused on 
Nairobi while our 
study will focus on 
Kiambu County. 

Kitonga,(2014) 

Determinants of teacher 
participation in teamwork 
for improved performance 
in public secondary 
schools in Taita 

The findings showed that 
teacher participation in 
teamwork is more 
prevalent in institutions 
where democratic 
leadership is practiced 

The study 
presented a 
geographical gap as 
it was conducted in 
Taita while our 
study will be 
conducted in 
Kiambu County. 



 

2.5 Conceptual Framework 

The researcher intended to create awareness of the research study through by the use of the, 
conceptual framework. This research focused to leadership practices and performance. 
Performance in public high schools forms the dependent variables with performance 


Performance Targets 

 Setting 
 Academic performance 
targets 
 Coverage of academic 
syllabus 


 

 

Training 

 Training on the Job 
 Training off the Job 


 

School Performance 

 Transition rate 
 Timely completion of 
School syllabus. 
 Improved results 


indicators such as transition rates and timeliness in completion of school programs and 
improved results. Leadership practices in public high schools form the independent variables 
with leadership practices such as performance targets, training, rewarding and teamwork. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 2. 1 Conceptual Framework 

Leadership Practices 

 (Independent Variables) 

 

 

 (Dependent Variable) 

 

 


Rewards 

 Intrinsic rewards 
 Extrinsic rewards 


 

Teamwork 

 Delegation 
 Participation 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Researcher, (2020) 

CHAPTER THREE 

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 

3.0 Introduction 

The analysis methodologies used throughout the study are described in this chapter. The 
study design, target demographic, survey and sampling methodology, sample selection, data 
gathering processes, data gathering procedures, validity and reliability of the data collection 
instruments, pilot study, and data processing are all included. 


3.1 Research Design 

Schindler and Cooper (2003), referred to the structure and plan of investigation as the 
Research design. This research was designed as a descriptive review. In this analysis, a 
descriptive sample was used. A descriptive study is a form of data collection process that 
includes evaluating or conducting a survey to a number of people (Creswell 2009). The 
descriptive survey describes the current status of a variable or phenomenon. In a descriptive 
survey a hypothesis does not have to be present at the formative stage of the research but can 
be designed after collection of data is undertaken. This study aimed at reporting on 
leadership practices and school performance. A questionnaire was the research instrument 
that the researcher used in gathering and collection of data. 

3.2 Target Population 

Mugenda and Mugenda, (2003) defined Target population as a specific group of people, 
elements or households investigated in a study. The population was made up of thirteen 
selected Public high schools in Kiambu. A public high school was purposively picked from 
in each sub-county within the County of Kiambu. The selected thirteen public high schools 
comprised of boarding schools, mixed schools and day schools within the county as 
highlighted on table 3.1 below. This is target population in which the researcher drew a 
sample from while undertaking the study. 

Table 3. 1 Sampling Population 

Category of respondents 

Frequency 




Principals 

13 

Heads of Department 

65 

Teachers 

286 

Total 

364 



Source: Researcher, (2020) 

3.3 Sampling Design 

This involved selection of elements or subjects from the target population. Subdividing the 
populace into stratification and drawing equivalent samples from each stratum is referred to 
as stratified sampling (Cooper and Schindler, 2003). The sample size was calculated using 
stratified random sampling. The selection for the report was taken from 13 Kiambu County 
public high schools. Teachers, Department managers, and Principals formed up the survey. 

The sample scale was calculated using Kothari's (2004) sampling model. This sample 
recommends the appropriate sample of any given population. The formula for selection to be 
used is as follows: 

 

n=z2.p.q.N 

 e2 (N-1) + z2.p.q 

 


Z= Z value at the level of confidence of 95% = 1.96 

E= correctness level required. Standard error = 5% 

n represents needed sample size 

Q represents population percentage without the requisite study features (1-P) 

P represents population percentage with the requisite study features 

N= Total population (364) 

 

n=1.962*0.5*0.5 (364) 

 (0.052*364) + (1.962*0.5*0.5) 

n= 0.9604 (364) 

 (0.052*364) + (0.9604) 

n= (6813.078) 

18.6954 

n=364.4254 

n=97 

The sample size 

n Table 3. 2 n Sample n Size 


n Category of respondents 

Population Frequency 

 Sample 

Principals 

13 

4 

Heads of Department 

65 

17 

Teachers 

286 

76 

Total 

364 

97 



n3.4 Data n Collection n Instruments 

Collection of n data n was n by the use of semi-structured questionnaires with both structured n 
and n open n ended n questions. n The personal views n of n the respondents n were captured 
well using open ended questions, n whereas n closed-ended n questions n were n mostly n 
employed n to n obtain n factual n data n for n quantitative n and n descriptive n analysis. The 
research questions n in the Questionnaire n were formulated in a manner that addresses the 
research problem. 

3.4.1 Validity of Research Instrument 

Suitability of data collection techniques was established through piloting some 
questionnaires. Validity is the capability of an information compilation instrument to 
evaluate what it was meant to determine. According Mugenda and Mugenda (2003), Validity 
test is an indicator to ascertain the consistency of data obtained from the questionnaires and 
whether we may rely on such data for this particular study. On testing the validity of the 
research instrument the analyst incorporated the opinion from the university assigned 


supervisors where by suggestions and modifications were done to the questionnaires used as 
research Instruments. 

3.4.2 Reliability of Research Instrument 

Orodha (2004) defines reliability of research instrument as the strength and likelihood of a 
similar outcome is resultant of repeated trials. Research instruments in the form of 
questionnaires were used. Data from the pilot study was exposed to the split half method to 
determine consistency and reliability of research instruments. Two halves were scored 
against each other of the research instrument for individually respondent. This correlation 
calculates the study's reliability for each portion. As a result, a correction function was added 
to the calculated factor. The balanced coefficient reflected the overall survey's reliability. 
According to Patton (2001), correlations of greater than 0.7 are always deemed appropriate 
for drawing conclusions regarding individuals based on their raw values, but a higher rating, 
such as 0.90, is desired if the judgments have major repercussions. 

The Spearman-Brown prophecy formula was used to render this correction: 

n Pxx" = 2Pxx'/1+ Pxx' 

n WherePxx" n is thereliability n coefficient n for n the n whole n test 

n Pxx' n is n the n split-half n correlation 

n Pxx" = n 2*0.915/1+ 0.925 

n Pxx" = n 0.9497 

With a coefficient value of 0.9497 the research instrument was considered to be reliable 


n 3. 5 Pilot testing 

Pilot testing is an initial evaluation of questionnaires on their appropriateness on a small 
group to determine their feasibility, before they are applied in large scale (Saunders et al., 
2012). The feedback form was piloted from the target population of Public high school staff 
in Kiambu County. n Fisher, (2007) n argued n that, n the n accuracy n of n data n to n be n 
collected n is n n largely n dependent n on n the n data n collection n instruments n in n terms n of 
n validity n and n reliability n which n can n only n be n established n through n a n pilot n test. n 
A n pilot n study n will n be n conducted n using n 10% n of n the n main n sample n size n as n 
recommended n by (Mugenda &Mugenda, 2003). n 

n 3.6 n Data n Collection n Procedure 

n Collection n of raw n data and further subjecting it to analysis before presentation is the 
process of data collection (Gall et al., 2001). Data collection involves methods and 
techniques in collection of unprocessed information processing it into meaningful 
information. The researcher sought authorization to undertake research of the study from the 
ministry of education science and technology through application to the secretary, National 
Council for science and technology, and Innovation (NACOSTI). Authorization was also 
sought from the County Director of education Kiambu County. Data collection was 
undertaken following permission from the university to proceed for collection of data. Data 
was collected using questionnaires in this study. The questionnaire was aligned to the 
research questions. Two weeks’ period was used for data collection from the sampled 
respondents. 


n 3.7 n Data n analysis n and n Presentation 

Data analysis is the review of data with the intention of understanding it and summarizing the 
relevant details and establishing consistent patterns deduced from the investigation. Due to 
the design employed, data was analyzed to incorporate n descriptive n and n inferential n 
statistics. n Descriptive n statistics n will n involve n the n use n of n frequencies, n percentages, 
n mean n and n standard n deviations. n In n order n to n determine n the n relationship n between 
n independent n and n dependent n variables n of n the n study, n Pearson n Product- n Moment n 
correlation n analysis, n Analysis n of n Variance (ANOVA), n and n maximum n likelihood n 
regression n analysis n will n be n carried n out n at n the n 0.05 n level n of n significance. n The n 
analysis n was n reported n via n analytical n tables. 

Associations between variables in the study were tested using the multiple regression model 
as highlighted; 

Y is β0 + β1X1 + β2X2 + β3X3+ β4X4 + ε 

Y = Performance (dependent variable) 

X1, 2, 3, 4 = four independent variables (Performance targets, Reward, Training and 
Teamwork) 

X1 = Performance Target 

X2= Training 

X3= Rewarding 


X4= Teamwork 

βi (i=1,2,3,4) These are factors that are representative of the proportional predictor variables 
that are correlated with the related regression model. 

ε is the error term 

βo is the intercept, 

3.8 Ethical Considerations 

Ethics while undertaking research cuts across the whole research cycle of; planning and 
design of the study, collecting data, review, and results reporting. The study was guided by 
the tenets of ethical behavior that incorporate anonymity, confidentiality, disclosure, analysis, 
and reporting. Confidentiality, anonymity, and privacy were achieved by not asking 
participants to write their names on the questionnaires. Disclosure on how the information 
gathered was done so as to keep the participants informed and enable them to choose either 
to participate in the process or not to participate. The researcher also sought authorization for 
research from the Council n for n science n and n technology, n and n Innovation (NACOSTI). 
The respondents with an introductory n letter n from n the n university, showing granted 
permission for the research to be conducted. 


CHAPTER FOUR 

RESEARCH FINDINGS 

4.1 Introduction 

This section includes a detailed review of the report's results and their explanation. 
Questionnaires were used to compile the information. The findings presented are deduced 
from questionnaires issued and returned by respondents. The questionnaires were designed to 
investigate the connection between leadership activities and organizational success in a group 
of Kiambu County public high schools. To interpret the data gathered, the analysis used both 
descriptive and inferential analysis. 

4.2. Response Rate 

Questionnaires were used to gather information from the survey participants. Ninety-seven 
(97) questionnaires were presented to the respondents and seventy-seven (77) questionnaires 
were returned. This makes the response rate for the questionnaires returned amount to 79%. 
The response rate is admissible for the researcher to proceed with data analysis as it is above 
the recommended threshold of 70% as recommended by (Best & Kahn, 2006). 

Table 4.1 Response rate 

Category 

Frequency 

Percentage 

Returned 

77 

79% 

Not- returned 

20 

21% 

Total 

97 

100 




Source: Researcher, (2020) 

n Table n 4.2 n Reliability 

n Variables 

n Cronbach's n Alpha n Coefficient 

Performance Targets 

0.75 

Training 

0.84 

Reward 

0.78 

Teamwork 

0.81 

Average 

0.795 



n Source: n Research n data, (2020) 

All variables were above Cronbach’s Alpha at 0.7 hence reliable to continue to analysis 
(Patton, 2001). 

4.3. Demographic Findings 

The study gathered data on the teachers’ demographic information describing their 
characteristics on gender, level of education and the teachers’ level of work experience. The 
background of the respondents would directly or indirectly influence performance in their 
institutions. The teachers’ statistical data are summed up as follows; 


4.3.1Gender 

The study obtained information on the respondents’ gender as shown below on Table 4.3. 
According to the gender ratio in the returned questionnaires, 44 percent were male and 56 
percent were female. The female demographic accounted for the most of the participants. 

Table 4.3 Analysis of Gender of respondents 

Gender 

Frequency 

Percentage 

Male 

34 

44% 

Female 

43 

56% 

Total 

77 

100% 



Source: Researcher, (2020) 

4. 3.2 Level of Education 

The researcher sought to find the education level of the respondents. Table 4.4 shows the 
education level of the respondents in which majority of the respondents had Bachelor degree 
level of education this constituted of 82%. This was followed by Master’s Degree level of 
education constituting 13%. Diploma and Certificate level of education constituted 4% and 
1% of the respondents respectively. 

 

 


Table 4.4 Education level of respondents 

Education level 

Frequency 

Percentage 

Master’s Degree 

10 

13% 

Bachelor Degree 

63 

82% 

Diploma 

3 

4% 

Teachers Certificates 

1 

1% 

Total 

77 

100% 



Source: Researcher, (2020) 

4.3. 3 Age of Respondents 

The Age of the respondents from the research findings was distributed as Summarized on 
Table 4.5 below. n Majority n of n the n respondents n were n aged n between 45 to 50 years 
accounting for 30% of the respondents, this by respondents aged 33 to 38 years constituting 
of 19% of the respondents. Ages between 39 to 44years and 51 to 54 years made up 14% 
each of the respondents. Minority of the respondents were aged between 18 to 25 years 
which was 3% of respondents. 


n Table n 4.5 n Age n of n respondents 

Age group (years) 

Frequency 

Percentage 

18 to 25 years 

2 

3% 

26 to 32 years 

13 

17% 

33 to 38 years 

15 

19% 

39 to 44 years 

11 

14% 

45 to 50 years 

23 

30% 

51 to 54 years 

11 

14% 

55 to 60 years 

2 

3% 

Total 

77 

100% 



Source: Researcher, (2020) 

4.3. 4 Job position of respondents 

The answers to research questions were drawn from Principals, Teachers and Head of 
Departments from various n selected n Public n secondary n schools in Kiambu n County. 
Majority n of the respondents being teachers constituted 74 %, this was followed by 19% of 
the respondents being Head of Department. School Principals constituted of 7% of the 
respondents. This is summarized below on n Table n 4.6. 

 

 


n Table 4.6 n Job n position n of n respondents 

n Years of experience 

n Frequency 

n Percentage 

Principal 

5 

7% 

Head of Department 

15 

19% 

Teacher 

57 

74% 

Total 

77 

100% 



Source: Researcher, (2020) 

4.3. 5 Respondents years of employment 

The years of service of the respondents was also obtained by the researcher and a summary is 
as below on Table 4.7. The findings showed that 27% of the respondents worked for over 
20years, 26% were employed between 1 to 5 years; 20% of the respondents were in 
employment between 16 to 20 years. Those that had served for 11 to 15 years were 13%, 
while those who served between 6 to 10 years were 10%. The Minority of the respondents 
served for less that 1 (one) year constituting of 4% of the respondents. 

 

 

 

 

 


Table 4.7 Respondents years of employment 

Years of employment 

Frequency 

Percentage 

Less than 1 year 

3 

4% 

1 to 5years 

20 

26% 

6 to 10 years 

8 

10% 

11 to 15 years 

10 

13% 

16 to 20 years 

15 

20% 

Over 20years 

21 

27% 

Total 

77 

100% 



Source: Researcher, (2020) 

n 4.4 n Descriptive Findings 

4.4.1. Performance Targets n and School n Performance 

In this section the respondents were asked to indicate the extent agreement on the statements 
on having performance targets in their schools and the relationship between Performance 
targets and the overall organizational performance. The responses are clearly illustrated 
below on n Table n 4.8 


Table n 4.8 Response n to nnstatements non Performance Targets in relation to 
performance 

Statement 

Response 

SD 

D 

N 

A 

SA 

Leadership in the school ensures that 
nteachers nset nachievable nacademic 
nperformance ngoals nfor ntheir vsubjects. 

Frequency 

5 

4 

5 

34 

29 

Percentage 

6.5% 

5% 

6.5% 

44% 

38% 

Supervision of teachers is done by the 
school leadership so as to complete the 
academic syllabus on time. 

Frequency 

4 

6 

3 

41 

23 

Percentage 

5% 

8% 

4% 

53% 

30% 

There are regular staff performance 
appraisal meetings that discuss and identify 
opportunities for academic improvement. 

Frequency 

2 

10 

8 

39 

18 

Percentage 

3% 

13% 

10% 

51% 

23% 

Leadership of the school regularly nholds 
nacademic nmeetings nwith nteachers nto 
nreview nstudents‟ nprogress on academic 
nsubjects. 

Frequency 

5 

6 

8 

43 

15 

Percentage 

7% 

8% 

10% 

56% 

19% 



 

Key: (1-Strongly Disagree to 5- Strongly Agree) 

The responses to the above statements in relation to performance targets and performance of 
schools are as highlighted below; 


A great percentage of the respondents agreed that achievable targets are set in their respective 
schools and also at the subject level in which 44% of the respondent agreed while 38% 
strongly agreed. It was also noted that supervision of teachers was conducted by the school 
leadership with a majority agreeing and also strongly affirming 53% and 30% respectively. 

Performance appraisals meetings to review performance targets was noted to be regularly 
conducted by the school leadership with 51 % and 23% of the respondents respectively 
agreeing and strongly agreeing that performance appraisal meetings help them discuss and 
identify opportunities for academic improvement. The research showed that 53% of the 
respondent agreed and 19% strongly agreed that school leadership regularly holdsn academic 
nmeetings nwith nteachers nto nreview students‟ nprogress non nacademic nsubjects. 

These findings agree with those made by Tunoi (2011), where he undertook to examine how 
service delivery was affected by performance targets at the NSSF. Tunoi (2011) further 
recommended that rewards be awarded to employees after performance targets are met so as 
to sustain efficient and effective service delivery. 

4.4.2. Training and School Performance 

The respondents were presented with statements to show the extent in which they agree or 
disagree in respect to training and performance in their respective schools. Table 4.9 gives a 
summary of the responses on training in relation to performance in schools. 

 

 


Table 4.9 Response to statements on Training in relation to performance 

Statement 

Response 

SD 

D 

N 

A 

SA 

You would recommend training programs 
at your school to enhance performance in 
your school. 

Frequency 

3 

3 

4 

37 

30 

Percentage 

4% 

4% 

5% 

48% 

39% 

Training programs have enhanced 
performance in your organization. 

Frequency 

5 

15 

18 

31 

8 

Percentage 

7% 

20% 

23% 

40% 

10% 

Training plans are developed and monitored 
for all staff which help’s to manage school 
performance. 

Frequency 

12 

16 

20 

24 

5 

Percentage 

6% 

31% 

26% 

31% 

6% 

Support is provided to attend training and 
even sponsor them where possible, thus 
improving performance. 

Frequency 

11 

8 

24 

25 

9 

Percentage 

14% 

10% 

31% 

33% 

12% 



 

Key: (1-Strongly Disagree to 5- Strongly Agree) 

The respondents recommended training programs at their schools to enhance performance 
with 39 % of the respondents strongly agreeing and 48% agreeing on the need of training 
programs to enhance performance. 


On whether training programs have enhanced performance in schools, majority of the 
respondents affirmed with 40% of the respondent agreeing and 10% strongly agreeing. 
Respondents equally agreed and disagreed that training plans are developed and monitored 
for all staff to help manage performance. The respondents that disagreed were 31 % while 
those that agreed were 31 %, respondent that were neutral in their response were 26%. 

On whether support is provided to attend training and even sponsor staff where possible for 
improvement of performance majority of the respondents agreed they received support to 
attend training programs. The respondents that strongly agreed were 12% while 33% of the 
respondents strongly agreed. Education and institutional success were studied by Aigbepue 
and Mammud (2012). The report's findings revealed that manpower recruitment and growth 
has a direct effect on institutional efficiency. Business organizations should provide frequent 
and well-thought-out training plans for their workers, according to the analysts. In order to 
produce high success outcomes, Kenyan public secondary schools must ensure that their 
employee preparation programmes are well-planned and funded. 

4.4.3. Rewards and School Performance 

This section shows results of data collected from the respondents in relation to Rewards and 
school performance. The respondents provided responses in respect to the extent they agreed 
or disagreed on statements made of the role of rewards in the performance of their respective 
schools. nTable 4.10 nbelow ngives na nsummary nof nthe nresponses received on rewards in 
relation to performance. 

 


Table 4.10 Response to statements on Rewards in relation to performance 

Statement 

Response 

SD 

D 

N 

A 

SA 

Promotion based on merit is accorded to all 
teachers in the school. 

Frequency 

17 

20 

19 

14 

7 

Percentage 

22% 

26% 

25% 

18% 

9% 

Teacher commitment has been enhanced by 
recognition programs offered in the school. 

Frequency 

4 

21 

24 

20 

8 

Percentage 

5% 

27% 

31% 

26% 

10% 

Student’s test scores increase as a result of 
cash payments made to teachers on 
excellent scores. 

Frequency 

17 

29 

10 

10 

11 

Percentage 

22% 

38% 

13% 

13% 

14% 

Teachers are recognized with praise for 
their effort towards in school performance. 

Frequency 

6 

7 

18 

35 

11 

Percentage 

8% 

9% 

23% 

46% 

14% 



Key: (1-Strongly Disagree to 5- Strongly Agree) 

On whether Promotion based on merit is accorded to all teachers in the school 22% and 26% 
of the respondents strongly disagreed and also disagreed with this statement. Majority of the 
respondents felt that promotions as a reward program was not based on merit and was also 
not accorded to all teachers. A majority of the respondents disagreed that teachers’ 
commitment was enhanced by recognition programs offered in schools with 27% disagreeing 
and 31% not sure whether recognition offered enhanced performance. 


On whether student’s test scores increase as a result of cash payments made to teachers on 
excellent scores, 22%of the respondents disagreed while 38% strongly disagreed, however on 
whether teachers are recognized through praise for their efforts towards school performance 
According to Agwu (2013), there is a close link regarding compensation and employee 
results. This means that the efficiency of an enterprise is determined by the amount of 
incentive or pay structures applicable. As a consequence, the majority of workers would 
prefer to compare their productivity in terms of success with the degree of inspiration created 
by job rewards. Public secondary schools in Kiambu County should consider rewards that 
catch the employee’s attention and are equitably awarded so as to achieve their purpose of 
enhancing performance. 

4.4.4. Teamwork and School Performance 

With respect to teamwork as a leadership practice in relation to performance in schools the 
respondents gave their responses as summarized on table 4.11. 

Table 4.11 Response to statements on Teamwork in relation to performance 

Statement 

Response 

SD 

D 

N 

A 

SA 

nTeaching nin nteams nis na npractice nthat 
nis nencouraged nby nthe school nleadershipn 
nthus nimproving nacademic performance in 
the school. 

Frequency 

2 

4 

7 

37 

27 

Percentage 

3% 

5% 

9% 

48% 

35% 

The school leadership encourages the 

Frequency 

2 

4 

9 

40 

22 




building of teamwork among teachers 
ensuring they support one another. 

Percentage 

3% 

5% 

11% 

52% 

29% 

There is delegation practiced by the school 
leadership in the management of the school. 

Frequency 

3 

4 

12 

38 

20 

Percentage 

4% 

5% 

16% 

49% 

26% 

Teachers are involved in deciding the best 
strategies to apply to improve learning and 
teaching. 

Frequency 

4 

7 

4 

38 

24 

Percentage 

5% 

9% 

5% 

50% 

31% 



 

nThe degree nto nwhich they concurred nor differed on whether teaching in teams nis na 
npractice that was nencouraged nby the school leadership towards improving nacademic 
nperformancen in nthe nschool. nThe respondents to a great extent agreed to the statement 
with 48% and 35% of the respondents agreeing and strongly agreeing. 

Respondents to a great extent admitted that the school leadership encouraged the building of 
teamwork among teachers ensuring they support one another. A great percentage of 
respondents affirmed this with 52% agreeing and 29% strongly agreeing. On whether 
delegation was practiced by the school leadership in the management of the school for 
improved performance majority of the respondent concurred with 49% agreed and 26% 
strongly agreed. 


On whether teachers were involved in deciding the best strategies to apply to improve 
learning and teaching in school, majority of the respondents affirmed with 50% of the 
respondents agreeing and 31% strongly agreeing. 

The results of the findings align with findings of a study carried out by Sanyal & Hisam 
(2018) to examine the impact of teamwork on faculty members in Dhofar university and their 
performances. The findings show that there is a clear and important correlation between 
teamwork and performance. Both studies agree that building climate of trust, leadership and 
structure, through participation in decision making and delegation leads to strong teams 
which improve on performance. 

4.5 Inferential analysis 

The data was further exposed to Correlation and Regression analysis. These inferential were 
employed to aid in responding to the research questions. 

4.5.1 Correlation Analysis 

The relationship between the independent and dependent variables was tested using 
correlation analysis. The results are presented on Table 4.12 

 

 

 

 


Table 4.12 Correlation Analysis 

 

 

 

Performance 

Targets 

Training 

Rewards 

Teamwork 

Performance 

Pearson 
Correlation 

 

1 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sig. (2-tailed) 

 

 

 

 

Targets 

Pearson 
Correlation 

 

0.75** 

1 

 

 

 

 

Sig.(2-
tailed) 

 

0.000 

 

 

 

 

Training 

Pearson 
Correlation 

 

0.84** 

0.152 

1 

 

 

 

Sig.(2-
tailed) 

 

0.001 

0.153 

 

 

 

Rewards 

Pearson 
Correlation 

 

0.78** 

0.51 

.462** 

1 

 

 

Sig.(2-
tailed) 

 

0.000 

0.259 

0.000 

 

 

Teamwork 

Pearson 
Correlation 

 

0.81** 

-0.188 

.282** 

0.661* 

1 

 

Sig.(2-
tailed) 

 

0.000 

0.49 

0.005 

0.019 

 



 


4.5.1.1 Performance Targets and School Performance 

The findings in table 4.12 reviled that performance targets and performance are affirmatively 
and considerably correlated (nr=n0.75, np=n0.000). nThis nimplies nthat nan nincrease in 
performance targets would lead to an improved performance in public high schools. nThis 
nfinding nagrees nwith nthat nof nTonui (2011) nwho nestablished nthat performance based 
targets lead to improved service delivery at the NSSF branches in Rift valley province. 

4.5.1.2 Training and School Performance 

 The results also revealed an affirmative and considerable link amid training and performance 
((r=0.84, p=0.001). This means than more training would results to improved performance. 
This finding is in line with that of Naveed and Shahazani (2016) who found a positive 
nimpact nof ntraining non nperformance nof nemployees nin the corporate nsector in Pakistan. 

4.5.1.3 Rewards and School Performance 

Further, the results indicated that there exists a positive and statistically significant 
relationship between rewards and performance (r=0.78, p=0.000). This implies that increase 
in performance rewards would result to improved performance. nThis nfindingn agrees nwithn 
that nof Agwu (2013) whose study nestablished that reward systems that are able to generate 
maximum motivation of employees yield better performance results for employees and their 
respective organizations. 


4.5.1.4 Teamwork and School Performance 

The findings revealed that team work and nperformance nare affirmatively and considerably 
nrelated (nr=n0.81, np=n0.000). nThis shows nthat more teamwork would lead to improved 
performance. The finding support that of Boakye (2015) who found that teamwork and team 
performance measures are related to performance of the hospital. 

4.5.2 Regression Analysis 

To ascertain effect of the independent variables (performance target, training, rewards and 
teamwork) on the dependent variable this was performance the researcher applied regression 
analysis. The following sections reveal the nfindings nof nModel nSummary, nANOVA nand 
nCoefficient nof nnregression. 

4.5.2.1Model Summary 

The findings on table 4.13 offered the fitness of nregression nmodel nused nin nexplaining nthe 
nrelationship nbetween nthe ndependent nand nindependent nvariables. 

nTable n4.13: nModel nsummary 

nModel 

nR 

nR square 

nAdjusted nr 
square 

nStd. nError nestimate 

1 

.795a 

.633 

.618 

1.6196 



a. Predictors: (constant), target, training, rewards and teamwork 



Performance targets, training, rewards and teamwork were established to be reasonable 
variables in explaining performance. This was supported by a variance of determination of 
63.3 percent, also described as the R square. This shows that performance targets, training, 
rewards, and teamwork account for 63.3 percent of performance changes. This means that 
other factors not used in the model explain 36.7 percent of output differences. nThe nresults 
non nthe nanalysis nof nthe nnvariance (ANOVA) are provided on Table 4.14. 

Table 4.14: ANOVA 

 

Model 

Sum of squares 

DF 

Mean 
square 

F 

Sig. 

 

Regression 

17.503 

4 

4.375 

45.308 

.000b 

Residual 

9.784 

84 

0.108 

 

 

Total 

27.287 

88 

 

 

 



Dependent variable: performance 

a. Predictors: (target, training, rewards, teamwork) 


The nresults nrevealed nthat nthe nmodel nwas considerable nstatistically nas presented nby 
nthe nF ncalculated of 45.308 nwhich nis ngreater nthann the nF ncritical 
nof n2.19 and a 
consequent np nvalue nof n0.00 nwhich nis nless nthan nthe nconventional n0.05. nThe outcome 
means that nthe nindependent nvariables nnotably impacted nthe nperformance nof public high 


schools in the County of Kiambu, nKenya. nThis result naligns nwith nthat nin ntable n4.11, 
nwhere nthe outcome revealed nthat Performance targets, training, rewards and teamwork 
established to be reasonable variables in explaining school performance. 

4.5.2.2Regression Coefficient 

The effect of individual variables leadership practices on performance in public high schools 
in the County of Kiambu, Kenya were ascertained by the use of regression coefficient. The 
results are presented on Table 4.15. 

Table 4.15: Regression Coefficients 

 

nΒ 

nStd. Error 

nT 

nSig. 

(Constant) 

n0.828 

n0.119 

n6.957 

n0.000 

Performance targets 

n0.565 

n0.093 

n6.08 

n0.003 

Training 

n0.483 

n0.087 

n5.55 

n0.005 

Rewards 

n0.613 

n0.09 

n6.14 

n0.000 

Teamwork 

n0.636 

n0.12 

n5.3 

n0.030 



Dependent variable: Performance 

nThe nresults nreveal that performance targets have an affirmative and considerable 
ninfluence non nperformance (nβ=0.565, np=0.003). nThis means nthat na nunit change in 
performance targets nwould result nto an improvement nin nperformance nby 0.565 nunits. 


nThis nfinding agrees with that of Mauya (2013) whose study showed that that setting 
performance targets had a great impact in performance improvement. The results reveal also 
that training have an affirmative and considerable influence on performance (β=0.483, 
p=0.005). This means that a unit change in training would result to an improvement in 
performance by 0.483 units. 

nThis nfinding aligns the findings nof Howard (2012) whose study revealed that employees 
undergo frequent training due to the ever changing needs in the work environment and 
dynamic changes in the employee skill set to improve on their performance. A variance of 
decision of 63.3 percent, also known as the R rectangle, backed up this assertion. 
Performance targets, training, rewards, and teamwork accounted for 63.3% of improvements 
in performance, according to this data. This indicates that 36.7 percent of performance 
changes are clarified by nvariables nnot nincluded nin nthe nmodel. This means that a unit 
changes in rewards nwould nlead nto nan nimprovement nin nperformance nby n0.613 units. 

nThis nfinding nagrees nwith nthat nof Gatere (2015) who established that performance related 
rewards increased productivity and enhanced engagement between students and teachers. 
The results further show that teamwork have an affirmative and considerable effect on 
nperformance (β=0.636, p=0.030). nThis means nthat na nunit nchange nin nteamwork nnwould 
nresult nto an improvement nin nperformance nby 0.636 nunits. The results align nwith the 
findings nof Hisam and Sanyal (2018) who showed that teamwork improved employee 
morale translating to improved performance both at the individual level and organizational 
level. 


CHAPTER FIVE 

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 

5.1 Introduction 

The Chapter presented the summarized research findings of the study based on data analysis 
by the researcher. It also includes nconclusions nof nthe nstudy and nrecommendations in 
relation to nthe nstudy and suggested nareas nfor nfurther nresearch. 

5.2 Summary of Research Findings 

This section provides a detailed summary of the research objectives of the study on 
leadership practices in relation to performance of public high schools in the County of 
Kiambu, Kenya. The independent variables of the research study focused leadership practices 
entailing performance targets, training, rewards and teamwork in which they were found to 
be adequate variables in explaining performance. This was sustained by a coefficient of 
determination known as the R square at 63.3%. This meant that performance targets training, 
rewards and teamwork explain 63.3% of the variations in performance. 

5.2.1 Performance targets nand nPerformance nof npublic nhigh nschools nin nKiambu 
nCounty, nKenya. 

nThe nstudy established that achievable targets are set in their respective schools and also at 
the subject level in which 44% of the respondent agreed while 38% strongly agreed. It was 
also noted that supervision of teachers was conducted by the school leadership with a 
majority agreeing and also strongly affirming 53% and 30% respectively. 


In addition, it was noted that performance appraisals meetings to review performance targets 
was regularly conducted by the school leadership with 51 % and 23% of the respondents 
respectively agreeing and strongly agreeing that performance appraisal meetings help them 
discuss and identify opportunities for academic improvement. The research showed that 53% 
of the respondent agreed and 19% strongly agreed that school leadership regularly holds 
nacademic nmeetings nwith nteachers nto review nstudents‟ nprogress non academic subjects. 

nThe results of a regression analysis revealed na nunit nchange in performance targets nwould 
nlead to an improvement nin nperformance nby 0.565 nunits. To a great extent the study 
revealed that setting performance targets had a great impact on the identifying performance 
gaps and improving overall performance. The study recommends that performance target 
activities such as, performance appraisals, performance review meetings be embraced in 
schools as they contribute and influence on performance. 

5.2.2 Training nand nPerformance nof npublic nhigh nschools nin nKiambu nCounty 
nKenya. 

Research found out that 39 % of the respondents strongly agreeing and 48% agreeing on the 
need of training programs to enhance performance. Majority of the respondents affirmed 
with 40% of the respondent agreeing and 10% strongly agreeing that training programs have 
enhanced performance in school. Respondents equally agreed and disagreed that training 
plans are developed and monitored for all staff to help manage performance. The respondents 
that disagreed were 31 % while those that agreed were 31 %, respondent that were neutral in 
their response were 26%. Respondents agreed and strongly agreed by 12% and 33% that 


support is provided for training and even sponsor staff where possible for improvement of 
performance 

Results from a regression analysis by the researcher showed a relationship between Training 
and performance. This was further explained that a unit difference in training would result to 
an enhancement in performance by 0.483 units. Majority of the respondents in the study 
observed that training programs boost performance in their respective schools; they noted 
that training requires planning for easy monitoring. Therefore, it’s recommended that training 
programs be supported through sponsorships and facilitation of employees in accessing the 
opportunities for training. 

5.2.3 nRewards nand nPerformance nof npublic nhigh nschools nin nKiambu nCounty, 
nKenya. 

On whether Promotion based on merit is accorded to all teachers in the school 22% and 26% 
of the respondents strongly disagreed and also disagreed with this statement. Majority of the 
respondents felt that promotions as a reward program was not based on merit and was also 
not accorded to all teachers. A majority of the respondents disagreed that teachers’ 
commitment was enhanced by recognition programs offered in schools with 27% disagreeing 
and 31% not sure whether recognition offered enhanced performance. 

The study established that student’s test scores did not increase as a result of cash payments 
made to teachers on excellent scores. This was confirmed by 22%of the respondents and 38% 
who disagreed and strongly disagreed that financial rewards yielded much change in 


performance. However it was noted that recognition of teacher through praise for their efforts 
towards school performance yielded positive results on performance. 

Results from a regression analysis by the researcher established that rewards have a positive 
influence on performance with a regression coefficient of 0.613 units. This means nthat na 
unnit nchange nin nreward nwould nlead nto nimproved nperformancen by n0.613 nunits. 
Majority of the respondents observed that promotions as a form of reward should be based on 
merit and accorded uniformly. The study observed a gap in the recognition programs offered 
by the schools towards enhancement of performance. Recognition of employees through 
awards and feedback on good performance is recommended to enhance performance in 
public high schools. 

5.2.4 Teamwork and Performance of public high schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. 

Respondents to a great extent agreed and strongly agreed with 48% and 35% respectively 
that teaching in teams nis na npractice nthat nwas nencouraged nby nthe nschool nleadership 
ntowards nimproving nacademic nperformance nin nthe nschool. Research showed that 52% of 
the respondents agreed and 29% strongly agreed that school leadership encouraged the 
building of teamwork among teachers by supporting each other. In addition, research showed 
that delegation practiced by the school leadership in the management of the school for 
improved performance 50% of the respondents agreed and 31% strongly agreed that teachers 
were involved in deciding the best strategies to apply to improve learning and teaching in 
their school. This practice enhanced the performance of the school. 


Results from a regression analysis show that a unit difference in teamwork would result to an 
improved performance by 0.636 units. The findings further correlates with that of the 
descriptive analysis in which respondents highlighted that teamwork enhances performance. 
Aspects of teamwork such as delegation, participative decision making are recommended 
since to a great extent enhanced performance 

n5.3 nConclusion 

At nthe close nof nthe nstudy nit was noted nthat nthere nexists a relationship nbetween 
Leadership practices nand school nperformance. Performance targets, rewards, training and 
teamwork are leadership practices that play a paramount role in the performance of schools. 
Leadership practices needs to be given the attention they require in for more efficient and 
effective school performance. 

Performance Targets need to be discussed with employees in this case teachers at the 
beginning of each performance cycle. The setting of targets needs to be agreed upon by both 
the teachers and their leaders. Targets need to be aligned with the school objectives, and the 
progress on achievement of goals measurable. Discussions and follow up on achievement of 
set goals on a regular basis help in identifying performance gaps and getting means of 
addressing them. 

To a great extent it was observed that training of people enhances their ability to perform. 
Employees that are trained tend to perform exceptionally well as they are empowered with 
the right knowledge and skill to undertake tasks. The initial stage of the process is critical as 


it involves planning of Training programs which help in monitoring the process and the 
outcome of training activities. 

Rewarding in schools offers a positive influence on performance. However only if applied on 
merit and in a fair manner does it promotes good performance. Poor application of rewards 
would deter students leading to poor performance. Identification of suitable rewards to the 
suitable group is paramount towards satisfying both their intrinsic and extrinsic needs. The 
study observed that affirmation and praise offer intrinsic reward and have a major impact on 
performance. 

The study noted that working in teams help in building synergy among workers. It was 
observed that team spirit was encouraged in most schools and it lead to most teachers 
supporting each other. Team teaching was observed to be effective as teachers built on each 
other’s strengths and capabilities when it came to teaching. Working in teams in overall 
brought a sense of belonging in the schools as each teacher would feel part of a team with a 
common goal. 

n5.4 nRecommendations 

nThen following nrecommendations nare nmade nas nfollows in regards to leadership 
practices. Target setting for the overall school performance should be cascaded down to 
individual targets. The setting of targets needs to be a collaborative process between school 
leaders in this case Principals and Heads of Departments with teachers. Its encouraged that 
targets are challenging yet achievable. This creates the more drive towards achievement of 
set goals. 


Training of staff through capacity building and empowering teachers with relevant skills is 
highly recommended. More resourced need to be allocated to training and enhancing the 
competences and capabilities as this is reflected in the performance outcome of the schools. 
It’s key that training programs be aligned to the performance goals set and also be as a result 
of a training needs assessment process. This will ensure training is conducted to address 
performance gaps identified. 

Rewarding of teachers is recommended that it be linked to performance. Aligning rewards to 
performance reinforce and encourage repetition of good behavior. Rewards should comprise 
more of intrinsic rewards which are non-monetary. Intrinsic rewards speak to the emotions of 
employees. They provide satisfaction and meet the intrinsic needs of employees and provide 
motivation for enhanced performance. Over emphasis on extrinsic rewards which focused on 
monetary reward tend to cause dissatisfaction as the intrinsic needs of employees are not 
addressed. 

Team building activities are highly recommended as part of building collaboration among 
teachers and their leaders. Team building creates trust among team members and improves 
on communication and motivation. Through team building individual strengths are identified 
and nurtured while weakness is addressed. The study recommends the use of delegation to 
build strong teams. When delegating tasks, the leaders in this case School principals and 
Heads of departments need to also transfer authority to execute the tasks. This would hence 
enhance confidence among teachers and increase the level of achievement. 


5.4.1 Suggestion for Further Research 

The researcher suggests that a broader spectrum of the study be explored, since the research’s 
scope was limited to selected public secondary schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. A broader 
scope of the study would entail more organizations and more indicators. This would further 
help explore the subject of leadership practices and performance. 

An assessment of the role of individual variables and their influence to performance could be 
considered for further research. Research on the subject of Target setting, Teamwork, 
Rewards and Training in relation to performance would provide more specific findings when 
explored. The researcher also suggests that a replica of the same research subject be explored 
further in other counties in Kenya. This would help in providing comparative literature on the 
subject of leadership practices and performance. 

 


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APPENDICES 

APPENDIX ONE: A list of Thirteen (13) Selected Public High Schools in Kiambu 
County 


S/No. 

Name of High School 

Sub County 

1 

Nyamangara Secondary School 

Gatundu North Sub-county 

2 

Chania Boys High School 

Thika West Sub-county 

3 

Wamwangi Secondary School 

Gatundu South Sub County 

4 

St Mary’s Girls Thigio High School 

Limuru Sub-county 

5 

Kiambu Township Secondary school 

Kiambu Sub-county 

6 

Gitwe Girls Secondary school 

Githunguri Sub-county 

7 

Gitithia Mixed Secondary school 

Lari Sub-county 

8 

Gitothua High School 

Ruiru Sub-county 

9 

Musa Gitau Secondary School 

Kikuyu Sub-county 

10 

St. Andrew Ndederu Secondary School 

Kiambaa Sub-county 

11 

Uthiru Girls High School 

Kabete sub-county 

12 

Ngoliba Secondary School 

Thika East Sub-county 

13 

Juja Secondary School 

Juja Sub-county 



 

 

 


 

 

 


APPENDIX TWO: QUESTIONNAIRE 

 

 Section 1: 

In this section the researcher seeks general information of demographics of the respondents. 
Kindly give appropriate answers to the questions by marking the box with the agreed answer 
with an (X). 

 

1. Gender: Male Female 


 

2. Level of Education: 


 Teacher’s Certificate 

 Diploma 

 Bachelor’s Degree 

 Master’s Degree 

 Others (Specify) __________________ 

 

3. Age Group: 18 to 25 years 26 to 32 years 33 to 38 years 


39 to 44 years 45 to 50 years 51 to 54 years 55 to 60 years 

 


4. Position: 


 

Principal 

 Head of the department 

 Teacher 

 

5. Years of employment in Secondary School: 


 Less than 1 year 1 to 5years 

6 to 10 years 11to15 years 16to 20 years Over 20 years 

Section 2: 

The section below presents statements about various leadership practices used in your school 
in relation to Performance. Indicate the extent to which you engage in each of them in your 
school. 

Part A: Performance Targets and School Performance 

Show the extent of agreement or disagreement in respect to the provided statements below by 
marking (X) in the box below 

Strongly Agree= 5, Agree =4, Neutral=3, Disagree=2, strongly disagree=1 

 

Please indicate with an 
(X) to show the extent 

Strongly 
disagree 

Disagree 

Neutral 

Agree 

Strongly 
agree 




you agree or disagree 
with each of the 
statements. 

a) 


Leadership in the school 
ensures that teachers set 
achievable academic 
performance goals for 
their subjects. 

 

 

 

 

 

b) 


Supervision of teachers 
is done by the school 
leadership so as to 
complete the academic 
syllabus on time. 

 

 

 

 

 

c) 


There are regular staff 
performance appraisal 
meetings that discuss 
and identify 
opportunities for 
academic improvement. 

 

 

 

 

 




d) 


Leadership of the school 
regularly holds 
academic meetings with 
teachers to review 
students‟ progress on 
academic subjects. 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Part B: Training and School Performance 

Show the extent of agreement or disagreement in respect to the provided statements below by 
marking (X) inside the box below 

Strongly agree = 5, agree=4, neutral=3, disagree=2, strongly disagree =1 

S/No 

Please 
indicate with 
an (X) to 
show the 
extent you 

Strongly 
disagree 

Disagree 

Neutral 

Agree 

Strongly 
agree 




agree or 
disagree with 
each of the 
statements. 

a) 


You would 
recommend 
training 
programs at 
your school to 
enhance 
performance in 
your school 

 

 

 

 

 

b) 


Training 
programs have 
enhanced 
performance in 
your 
organization 

 

 

 

 

 

c) 


Training plans 
are developed 

 

 

 

 

 




and monitored 
for all staff 
which help to 
manage school 
performance 

d) 


Support is 
provided to 
attend training 
and even 
sponsor them 
where 
possible, thus 
improving 
performance 

 

 

 

 

 



Part C: Rewards and School Performance 

Show the extent of agreement or disagreement in respect to the provided statements by 
marking (X) on the inside of the box below 

Strongly agree =5, Agree =4, Neutral=3, Disagree=2, strongly disagree=1 

S/No. 

Please indicate 
with an (X) to 

Strongly 

Disagree 

Neutral 

Agree 

Strongly 




show the extent 
you agree or 
disagree with 
each of the 
statements. 

disagree 

agree 

a) 


Promotion based 
on merit is 
accorded to all 
teachers in the 
school. 

 

 

 

 

 

b) 


Teacher 
commitment has 
been enhanced 
by recognition 
programs offered 
in the school. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

c) 


Student’s test 
scores increase as 
a result of cash 

 

 

 

 

 




payments made 
to teachers on 
excellent scores. 

 

d) 


Teachers are 
recognized with 
praise for their 
effort towards in 
school 
performance. 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

Part D: Teamwork and School Performance 

Show the extent of agreement or disagreement in respect to the provided statements below by 
marking (X) inside the box below. 

Strongly agree = 5, agree = 4, neutral=3, disagree=2, strongly disagree=1 


S/No 

Please highlight with 
(X) to show the extent 
you agree or disagree 
with the following 
statements. 

strongly 
disagree 

disagree 

neutral 

agree 

strongly 
agree 

a) 


Teaching in teams is a 
practice that is 
encouraged by the 
school leadership thus 
improving academic 
performance in the 
school. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

b) 


The school leadership 
encourages the building 
of teamwork among 
teachers ensuring they 
support one another. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

c) 


There is delegation 
practiced by the school 
leadership in the 

 

 

 

 

 




management of the 
school. 

 

d) 


Teachers are involved in 
deciding the best 
strategies to apply to 
improve learning and 
teaching. 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 3: Performance Practices and School Performance 

The section entails questions in relation to the research question, Performance Practices and 
School Performance. Please write down the answers to each question below; 


1) Are teachers made aware of and involved in the overall setting of performance targets 
for your school? How could this be enhanced? 


 

 

 

 

 

2) Is training often provided to teachers in your school. If yes, how does it affect school 
performance? 


 

 

 

 

3) Is good performance rewarded in your school? If yes, how does it affect school 
performance? 


 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

1. Does the leadership in your school encourage collaboration of teachers in the delivery 
of better school performance? If yes, how is this done? 


Thank you for your participation 

 

 

APPENDIX THREE: RESEARCH PERMIT