Influence of Principal-initiated Goal Setting Strategies on Students' Academic Achievement in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya: A Study across Secondary Schools, Mbita Sub County

Abstract : Goal setting is one of the most important principal initiated strategies that facilitate students’ academic achievement in schools. This is because it energizes the students’ participation in academic programs and as a result enhances their academic achievement. World over, research has shown that motivation of the students enhance their academic achievement. In Mbita Sub-County, despite the existence of motivation strategies put in place by principals, the Sub-County was still performing poorly as was revealed by the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results of 2018, 2019 and 2020. The Sub-County was ranked last in KCSE Examinations compared to the five other neighbouring sub- counties in Homa Bay County. Mbita Sub-County was ranked position five with an average mean score of 4.886 compared to Rangwe which was position one with a mean score of 5.354, Rachuonyo South was second with a mean score of 5.022, Rachuonyo East was third with a mean score of 4.988 while Homa Bay town was fourth with a mean score of 4.958. The objective of this study was to establish the influence of Principal-initiated Goal Setting on students’ academic achievement in public secondary schools. The study established that Principal-initiated goal setting strategy significantly influenced students’ academic achievement in public secondary schools by promoting independent learning among students. The findings are beneficial to policy makers and education administrators in formulating policies that can be used to improve students’ achievement in KCSE as well as improve practices in the initiation of motivational strategies in schools.