Influence Of Institutional Inputs On The Quality Of Secondary School Education In Migori County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Institutional inputs are resources invested in the school system to enhance quality. In Kenya quality is measured primarily by performance in education but it can also be measured by availability, adequacy and utilization of resources. There are several ways of measuring performance including achievement in national examinations. The extent to which institutional inputs influence performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) is at variance. In Kenya there are differences in the quality of education as some perform better than the others as due to certain factors. The study was based in Migori County, Kenya. Migori County was chosen among 5 counties surveyed because it had the lowest average mean score of 4.530 (D+) and between 2011 to 2017 it varied from C- in 2011 to D in 2017 exhibiting poor quality education. The average national KCSE mean score from 2011 to 2017 varied from 5.207 (C-) in 2011 and 5.173 (C-) in 2012 and declined to mean score of D+ between 2013 to 2015. The national KCSE mean score dropped to a mean score of 3.980 (D) in 2016 and declined to 3.734 in 2017 resulting in an average national mean score of 4.617 (D+) over a seven year period which indicates declining quality education. The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of institutional inputs on the quality of secondary school education in Migori County, Kenya. The objectives were to determine the influence of institutional inputs of entry-behaviour, examine the influence of physical facilities, determine the influence of teaching /learning resources, assess the influence of teacher characteristics and establish the influence of Income Generating Activities (IGAs) on quality of secondary school education. The study was anchored on Psacharopolous production function theory in education which relates inputs in education like teaching /learning resources to outputs in form of achievement measured by performance. The study used descriptive and correlational research designs. The study population was 59,691 comprising of 245 principals, 2,439 teachers, 57,000 students and 7 Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs). Cochrans formula was used to select 384 students which was the target population from which the sample was taken for various sub-groups. Fisher’s formula was used to select 331 teachers, 148 principals and 148 schools. Saturated sampling was used to select 7 QASOs resulting in total respondents of 870. The data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedule, observation guide, focus group discussion and document analysis. Validity of the instruments were ascertained by experts from School of Education, Foundations and Management at Maseno. Reliability of the instruments was determined by test re-test method through a pilot study of 15 schools and a Pearson coefficient of 0.76 and 0.82 was established for the principals and teachers questionnaire at a set p-value of 0.05 where a p-value of greater than 0.05 is significant and p-value of less than 0.05 is not. Qualitative data from open ended questions, interviews, focus group discussions were transcribed, coded, analysed and discussed in emergent themes and sub themes. Inferential statistics was used to determine the influence of institutional inputs on the quality of secondary school education. Each institutional input was regressed against the mean scores to establish the magnitude of the influence at the 0.05 level of significance. The study established that entry behaviour had an adjusted R square of 0.510, physical facilities had an adjusted R square of 0.349, teaching/learning resources had an adjusted R of 0.618, and IGAs had an adjusted R of 0.501 while teacher characteristics had an adjusted R square of 0.714 on quality of secondary education. Multivariate analysis compared the contribution of all independent variables when combined on quality of education. The multivariate analysis indicated that teacher characteristics and teaching and learning resources had the highest contribution of a B value of 0.611 and 0.540 respectively on quality of secondary education. Entry behaviour, IGAs and physical facilities had a B value of 0.434, 0.342 and 0.252 on quality secondary school education. The findings of the study are significant as they indicate that to improve quality of secondary school education increased investment in teacher training, recruitment and welfare are enhanced, additional financing and provision of teaching /learning resources undertaken and strengthening of early childhood and primary education improved to uplift entry behaviour and upgrading of infrastructure and promoting IGAs in schools to be strengthened.