The Relationship between Strategic Performance Management Practices Employed by Principals and Performance of Students in KCSE in Public Secondary Schools in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya

Despite substantial investments in the education sector in Kenya, the overall performance of students in national examinations remains persistently low. Various educational reforms, including the introduction of strategic performance management, have been implemented to address this issue. However, implementation of strategic performance management practices faces challenges, with many school principals struggling to execute the plans effectively. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between strategic performance management practices employed by principals and the performance of students in Kenya Certificate Secondary Education in public secondary schools in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. Descriptive survey and correlational research design was utilized to collect data from an estimated 1,111 subjects. Simple random sampling technique was adopted to select the 294 respondents sampled in the study. Study instruments included questionnaires for principals and head of departments while an interview schedule was designed for Sub-County Quality Assurance and Standards officers. The tools were subjected to reliability and validity tests before use. Face, content, and construct validity were ascertained before administering the instrument. Reliability was computed using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient on the data obtained from a pilot study in Meru County, giving reliability coefficients of 0.863 and 0.785 for principals and head of departments’ questionnaires respectively. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Quantitative data was cleaned, coded, and analyzed descriptively and inferentially using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 computer software. The Chi Square Test was used to determine the relationship between principals’ strategic management practices and the students’ performance in KCSE. The study findings established that there was a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.05) between strategic performance management practices and performance of students in KCSE. It is therefore recommended that the Ministry of Education should launch specialized capacity-building initiatives aimed at enhancing principals' competencies in strategic performance management. By empowering principals with these skills, the effectiveness of strategic plans will be improved, leading to better results. Key words : strategic performance management, performance of students in KCSE, public secondary schools DOI : 10.7176/JEP/15-12-04 Publication date : December 30th 2024