Analysis of Effectiveness of Boards of Management in the Governance of Public Secondary Schools in Nyandarua County, Kenya

Abstract

Boards of Management (BOM) is a committee established by the state department of Education to supervise education in government schools in conjunction with other education stakeholders such as the Parent Teachers Association (PTAs), the County Education Boards (CEB) and the local community. The effectiveness of the newly restructured BOMs in the governance of basic education institutions in Kenya is an issue that requires in depth interrogation considering that the process of constituting them has neither been studied nor their efficiency investigated. The objective of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of BOMs in the governance of secondary schools in Nyandarua County, Kenya. Specifically, the study analyzed how skills, knowledge, the process of BOM constitution and the challenges they face in carrying out their roles, influence the governance of public secondary schools in 35 schools located in Nyandarua North Sub-County. The researcher anticipated hesitancy of respondents to divulge sensitive information regarding the study however, the researcher assured the respondents that the data collected would be purely utilized for academic purposes and would remain confidential to overcome the challenge. The study theoretical framework was based on the collegial models of education management. The study employed descriptive survey research design and used both stratified and purposive sampling, targeting a total of 475 respondents who included 35 principals, 158 teachers’ representatives in the BOM, 245 BOM members and 35 PTA chairpersons. It also included both the D-QASSO and the County Education officer. The study purposively selected 20% of the target population that gave a sample size of 44. Questionnaires and an interview schedule were used to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data. To enhance validity and reliability a pilot study was conducted in Nyandarua Central Sub-County. To boost the possibility of giving honest the respondents were encouraged to give their views anonymously. Descriptive data was analyzed using SPSS. Results of data analysis were presented using frequency and percentage tables, while graphs were included for clarity. The study revealed that most BOM do not have sufficient managerial competencies which enable good governance of public secondary schools. The study also revealed that the process of appointing board members has some shortcomings. The study recommends that the MOEST should train BOM members on requisite management and governance skills and should hold regular refresher training for them. Recommendations from this study are important to States Education Department as well as County Governments and would generally help improve education standards and services.