Teachers’ Participation in Decision Making: An Investigation on Teacher- Administration Conflict Management and its Effects on Students Academic Performance in Private Secondary Schools, in Uasin Gishu, County, Kenya

Abstract

During the last decade, worst cases of conflicts in secondary schools in Kenya have been reported. The purpose of the study was to investigate teachers’ participation in decision-making on teacher-administration conflict management and its effects on students’ academic performance in private secondary schools, in Uasin Gishu. It was guided by two theories by Raman on conflict management and Hanushek educational production-function theory. This study adopted the use of a mixed methodology and concurrent triangulation research design. The target population consisted of school directors, principals, members of the board and teachers. A sample size consisting of 91 respondents (30%) was selected using stratified random sampling method from the target population to achieve 10 school directors, 10 principals, 10 Members of the Board and 59 teachers from 10 schools. The study used questionnaires and interviews to collect data. The dependability of the research instrument were established through source and location triangulation while the dependability of the research findings was measured by the standards of which the research was analysed, conducted and presented. Piloting was done in the neighbouring Nandi County by selecting 10 principals and 20 teachers from private secondary schools. Validity was determined through expert opinion while reliability was determined through piloting. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive that is frequencies and percentage scores and Pearson’s’ correlations. The qualitative data was thematically arranged as per the research objectives. The results of data analysed were presented using a frequency table, percentages and charts. Statistical Package for Social Sciences aided data entry, coding and analysis. The findings showed that majority of teachers believed that they were not involved in decision-making, values and interests causing conflicts between teachers and schools’ administration. Pearson correlation coefficient used for data analysis found that there was a significant positive correlation (r=0.503 and p=0.028) between teachers’ involvement in decision-making and students’ academic performance in secondary schools. The study shows that when teachers are involved more in decision-making in private secondary schools, there is improved academic performance among the students. Majority of the teachers believed that the use of guidance and counselling could be an effective way of solving conflicts between teachers and the school administration. Teachers’ participation in decision-making is one of the most important managerial practices that school heads should consider practicing.  Results from interview analyzed thematically revealed that when teachers are involved in decision-making, they give their views which in turn if adopted result to effective curriculum implementation. When teachers are involved in decision-making processes like school discipline, purchasing among others, this boosts their job morale and performance. From the above, it is seen that teachers’ involvement in decision-making is critical to school academic success. The study recommended that there was a need for private school administrators to involve all the stakeholders in the running of the schools. This would enable them to address these issues and therefore add to the common goal of excellence. Further, there is need for effective channels of communication to be put in place by the school administrators to reduce conflicts and improve students’ academic performance. The major findings can be useful as they may generate valuable information for the management and administration of secondary schools in the County. It can also help the Ministry of Education, in their bid to deal with conflicts in secondary schools to improve education standards in the country