Management of private secondary schools in the provision of education in Embu county, Kenya

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to identify the challenges facing private secondary schools management in Embu County, Kenya in the provision of education. Many potential secondary school students each year fail to be enrolled in public secondary school. This has raised concern because the numbers of public secondary schools is increasing while that of private secondary is on decline yearly. The study endeavored to determine challenges and problems faced by private secondary schools management in their provision of education and determine possible solutions. The study identified factors facing private secondary schools management in managing human and physical resources identified the extent to which the adequacy of funds affected the management and found out issues affecting academic performance. The research employed a descriptive survey study design as a better option for intervening in private secondary education management. Out of eleven private secondary school, only eight (Four church-managed and four profit-making) private secondary schools were ampled. The researcher used questionnaires and interview schedules to collect data. With a target population of 2815, simple random sampling was used to select respondents in these groups namely; School BOGs, Principals, Deputy Principals, Teachers and Students totaling to 920 respondents. Data was obtained and analyzed by use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer package to determine the challenges affecting school management in the provision of private secondary education in Embu County. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis was used to analyze data collected. Responses from questionnaire, interview schedules were organized according to pertinent aspects of the study. The findings were presented by use of frequencies, tables, graphs and pie-charts. From the study it came out clearly that among the many challenges facing management of private secondary schools key among them were funds, poor administrative structures within these schools, lack of support by the ministry and lack of access to government resources. The study recommends that the government should extend financial assistance to private secondary schools as well as setting well defined standards to be met by these schools. Based on these recommendations. proprietors of private secondary schools should focus on human resource development. The study proposes further investigation into the impact of private secondary schools and also finds out the efficiency of Principals in management of private secondary schools in the provision of education in Embu County.