RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEADTEACHERS’ MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND PRESCHOOLERS’ 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 influenceof 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 Pre-primary 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 sub-county 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<.05) between the Head Teachers’ human resource management skills and preschoolers’ access to quality Education and there was statistically significant positive correlation (r=.599, n=268, p<.05) between the Head Teachers’ financial resource management skills and preschoolers’ access to quality Education. On the correlation between the Head Teachers’ Teaching/Learning Resources Management Skills and Preschoolers’ Access to Quality Education, the study established that there was statistically significant positive correlation (r=.570, n=268, p<.05) between the Head Teachers’ management of teaching/learning resources and preschoolers’ access to quality Education. On the same note on the relationship between the Head Teachers’ Management of Classroom instruction and Preschoolers’ Access to Quality Education, the study established that there was statistically significant positive correlation (r=.571, n=268, p<.05) between the Head Teachers’ management of classroom instruction and preschoolers’ access to quality Education. Lastly, the study established that there were statistically significant (p<.05) positive correlation between the Headteachers’ management competencies and all the five aspects of preschoolers’ access to quality Education investigated (resources adequacy in ECD, quality nutrition, health and safety in ECD, child acquisition of basic literacy competencies, participation in ECE (Absenteeism, Punctuality, and Retention). The study findings will be significant to school managers in Kisii county and the other parts of the world in relation to the management of learning institution.