HEAD TEACHERS’ SELF-EFFICACY AND PUPILS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN KAKAMEGA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Primary school education is crucial for economic development in Kenya. The government, through the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), has implemented training programmes to enhance school leadership, aiming to improve pupils' academic achievement. Despite this effort, public primary schools in Kakamega County have continued to register low pupils’ academic achievement. The study examined head teachers’ Instructional Supervision beliefs on pupils' academic achievement in public primary schools in Kakamega County, Kenya. Based on Bandura's (2001) self-efficacy theory, the research employed a descriptive survey design with a stratified random sample of 329 participants, including head teachers, deputy head teachers, and Sub-County Directors of Education, drawn from a population of 916 public primary schools. Data collection involved closed-ended questionnaires and structured interviews, with analysis conducted using SPSS Version 25.  Validity was evaluated through a comprehensive review process where the questionnaire was submitted to academic supervisors and research specialists for their expert assessment. Pearson's Product Moment correlation to assess the instruments' reliability coefficient was used where coefficients exceeding 0.7 suggested that the research instruments were determined to possess sufficient reliability and were deemed appropriate for the study. The findings revealed significant moderate correlation between pupils' academic achievement and head teachers' beliefs on: instructional supervision practices (r = .572, p<.01), These findings indicate that head teachers' self-efficacy significantly correlates with pupils' academic achievement in Kakamega County's public primary schools. The study recommends strengthening Teachers Service Commission (TSC) leadership training programmes for head teachers, with particular focus on head teachers’ instructional supervision beliefs. Additionally, schools should develop policies to enhance parental involvement in pupils' education. Future research should explore other aspects of teacher self-efficacy and investigate potential mediating and moderating factors in this relationship between head teachers' self-efficacy and academic achievement.