Human Resource Management Practices and Student Performance of Public Secondary Schools in Kenya: Case of Thika West Subcounty, Kiambu County Kenya.

Abstract

This research project aimed at” investigating the effect of Human Resource Management practices on student performance in public secondary schools in Kenya. The objectives of the study are to: establish the effect of training and development on student performance in public secondary schools in Thika West Sub-County Kiambu county Kenya; determine the effect of management style on student performance in public secondary schools in Thika West Sub-County Kiambu county Kenya; assess the effect of performance management on student performance in public secondary schools in Thika West Sub-County Kiambu county Kenya and; determine the effect of compensation and reward on student performance in public secondary schools in Thika West Sub-County Kiambu county Kenya. This study is based on three theoretical foundations: Expectancy Theory, Human Capital Theory and; McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y. The study conceptualizes that HRM practices such as training and development, management style, performance management as well as reward and compensation affects student performance in secondary schools. The study adopts the descriptive survey design. The study sampled 100 teachers and 5 principles from the 13 public secondary schools in the sub-county. The study collected both primary and secondary data using a structured questionnaires and interviews. Data from key informants is analyzed thematically. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation are used to analyze the data. On the first objective of the study, findings from Pearson correlation shows that training and development significantly affect student performance of public secondary schools and (r=0.870, p<0.05). This was due to the fact that training made teachers able to cope with emergent learning demands. On the second objective of the study, the findings show that principals’ leadership styles contribute to student achievement indirectly through teacher commitment and beliefs about their collective capacity. In this regard, the findings from Pearson correlation shows that management style significantly affect student performance of public secondary schools and (r=0.648, p<0.05).On the third objective of the study, the findings show that performance management systems positive and significant affect student performance (Pearson correlation, r=0.844, p<0.05). On the last objective of the study, the findings obtained show that rewards positively contributed to the performance of teachers (Pearson correlation, r =0.885, p<0.05). Based on these findings, it can be concluded that based on the promises of rewards, teachers put in extra rewards due to enhanced morale. In view of the findings of the study, the following recommendations are made. The government should put in place mechanisms for enhancing progressive between training and development for teachers; progressive review of ways of assessing and formulating emergent training needs for teachers should be put in place so as to ensure that training and development was mainstreamed in the Ministry of Education; on management style there should be effort to ensure that consultative, democratic and transformational leadership styles were promoted in schools; performance management should be strengthened in schools so as to enhance assessment and feedback among teachers. There should also be ways of ensuring that teachers’ salary increment proposals negotiated with the Teachers’ Service Commission are promptly implemented The financial risks facing teachers should be mitigated through loans and other benefits so as to ensure the socioeconomic security of their families