INFLUENCE OF PRINCIPALS’ TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP ON THE PERFORMANCE IN SCIENCE SUBJECTS IN GIRLS’ PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THARAKA NITHI COUNTY

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Date
2023-10-10
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Tangaza University College
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This study examined the influence of principals’ transformative leadership traits on the performance in science subjects in girls’ public secondary schools in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. It was guided by the following specific objectives: to establish whether students' involvement in decision-making enhances their performance in science subjects; to ascertain whether principal-teacher role modeling influences performance in science subjects; to examine whether principal-teacher team building can enhance the performance in science subjects; and to find out the relationship between the provision of supportive learning resources and the performance in science subjects in girls’ public secondary schools in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The study was guided by transformational leadership theory. A concurrent triangulation design was adopted. The target population was girls’ public secondary schools, the county director, principals, teachers, and students. The target population of the study was 1838, and the sample size was 452. Purposive sampling was adopted to include all 11 girls’ public secondary schools, 11 out of 11 principals, and one County Director of education. Proportionate sampling was applied to collect data from 330 out of 1650 students, and simple random sampling was applied to collect data from 100 out of 165 teachers. The study used questionnaires to collect data from teachers and students. The collection of data from principals and the County Director of education was done through interview guides. Reliability of the instruments was tested using the test-retest technique and the scores 0.708 was obtained. Member checking technique was adopted to validate the qualitative instrument. Quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The data from quantitative instruments was presented using frequencies and percentages on tables, graphs, and pie charts. Qualitative data was analyzed in themes, and the reporting was done in direct quotations and narratives. The findings revealed that principals’ transformational leadership expressed in terms of students' involvement in decision-making, principal-teacher role modeling, principal-teacher team building, and the provision of supportive learning resources are important in influencing the performance of students in science subjects in girls’ public secondary schools in Tharaka Nithi County. The study concluded that limited involvement of students in decision-making concerning the study of science subjects and insufficient resources to use in the study of science subjects, such as laboratory equipment, are the main hindrances to the study of science subjects in girls’ public secondary schools. The study thus recommended that the principals enhance the involvement of students in the decisions that affect them concerning the study of science subjects as well as improve the provision of resources such as laboratory equipment that are needed in the study of science for enhanced academic performance in science subjects
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