Relationship Between Þÿ H E A D T E A C H E R S _ M A N A G E M E N Þÿ S K I L L S A N D P R E S C H O O L E R S _ Access To Quality Education In Kisii County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

The first five years of a child play a critical role in laying a solid foundation for primary,

secondary and future learning of any student or pupil. Hence, the quality of Early Childhood

Education which leads to the acquisition of basic competencies among preschoolers is crucial for

a child’s subsequent learning and Educational advancement. In spite of the great importance

associated with the Early Childhood Development and Education in Kenya, the government’s

effort to ensure that all preschool age children access quality education has not been impressive.

The objectives of the study were to establish the influence of head teachers’ human resource

management skills on preschoolers’ access to quality Education; determine the influence of head

teachers’ financial management skills on preschoolers’ access to quality Education; investigate

the influence of head teachers’ teaching/learning resources management skills on preschoolers’

access to quality Education and to determine the influence of head teacher management of

classroom lesson attendance on preschoolers’ access to quality Education. The study adopted

School-Based Management (SBM) Theory and Chikutuma’s Model on pre-schoolers’ access to

quality Education. The study used survey research design. Further the study adopted mixed

method approach. The target population for the study included 702 Head teachers, 957 Preprimary

Teachers, 9 sub-county ECDE officers and 2 County ECDE officers in Kisii County. To

obtain the required sample size, the study employed cluster and purposive sampling procedures.

The sample size for the study included 155 Head teachers, 282 Pre-primary Teachers, 9 subcounty

ECDE officers and 2 County ECDE officers. The data was collected using

questionnaires; interview schedule and school Observation checklists. To ensure validity of

research instruments in the present study, the expertise of the supervisors was employed for their

validation. The study employed the split-half method to establish the reliability of the instrument

which was found as r= 0.848. Quantitatively collected data was analyzed using measures of

central tendencies, frequency distributions, percentages, Pearson’s product moment correlation

coefficient, simple and multiple regression analysis while thematic analysis, content analysis and

verbative reporting was used to analyse qualitative data. The study established that there was

statistically significant positive correlation (r=.593, n=268, p

Read Download