International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD)

Volume 6 Issue 5, July-August 2022 Available Online: www.ijtsrd.com e-ISSN: 2456 – 6470

Challenges Encountered on Capacity Building of Heads of

Departments in Public Schools in Kericho County, Kenya
Zeddy Martim
Department of Educational Planning and Management, Kibabii University, Bungoma, Kenya

ABSTRACT How to cite this paper: Zeddy Martim

The rationale of this study was to investigate influence of capacity "Challenges Encountered on Capacity
building of Heads of Departments on implementation of curriculum Building of Heads of Departments in
in order to improve Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination Public Schools in Kericho County,
(KCSE) performance in public schools in Kericho County. The Kenya" Published in
International Journal
performance of KCSE has been decreasing over the last five years of Trend in
(2013—2017) the least mean score being 3.408 which is below Scientific Research
average. The study was guided by the following objective namely; to and Development
establish the challenges encountered by schools on Capacity building (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-
of Heads of Departments in order to improve KCSE performance of 6470, Volume-6 | IJTSRD50434
public schools in Kericho County. The study was used the Theory of Issue-5, August
Human Capital Theory by Becker and Gerhart (1996) which gave a 2022, pp.82-87, URL:
deeper insight to this research study. The study adopted descriptive www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd50434.pdf
survey design which was suitable for this study. The target
population was composed of 80 Principals, 400 Heads of Copyright © 2022 by author(s) and
International Journal of Trend in
Departments and 800 Teachers totaling to 3200. Simple random
Scientific Research and Development
sampling and purposive sampling was used to get a sample of 1280 Journal. This is an
respondents. Data were collected using questionnaires and interview Open Access article
schedules. The data obtained was analyzed using Statistical Package distributed under the
for Social Sciences (SPSS Version-21).Both qualitative and terms of the Creative Commons
quantitative data analysis techniques were used to analyze the Attribution License (CC BY 4.0)
collected data which was then presented in form of pie-chats, (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
frequency tables and graphs and thematically explained. The study
found out lack of time and financial resources for capacity building
for Heads of Departments (HODs) affected curriculum
implementation. Majority of the schools held internal seminars to
instill efficiency in performance although they had inadequate
teachers and incentives. Majority of the respondents preferred the
government to sponsor their professional development trainings
instead of relying on their already migre salaries. With this in place
then there will be success in curriculum implementation through
efficiency and effectiveness in learning and performance. In
conclusion Principals, Heads of Departments (HODs) and teachers
agreed that they have done very little in full curriculum
implementation and professional development leading to poor
performance in national exams in subsequent years and other
conflicts of interest. The study recommends that the Teachers Service
Commission and the Ministry of Education should constantly review
its policies to accommodate changing needs of Teachers and Heads
of Departments in full Profession Development.
KEYWORDS: Capacity Building, Curriculum, Implementation

1. INTRODUCTION:
One of the imperative challenges affecting education in learning institutions, which in turn will hasten the
in the world, with Kenya not being left out, is how to academic performance of the individual students and
advance the worth of teaching and gaining knowledge the schools in general. It’s a topic of address both in

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 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
developing and developed countries and In most Sub-Saharan Africa countries, measures are
notwithstanding its widespread acceptance and wide constantly being put in place to support and ease
usage, the concept had not been clearly understood effective teaching to improve students’ performance
almost by all interested parties in education (Egbo, but observed with many financial challenges
2013). Teachers’ Capacity Building is having (Pretorius, 2012). It is noted that Africa has enough
teachers undergo intellectual activities deliberately policies, means and processes to guarantee quality of
designed and meant to advance their knowledge with teacher education hence need for stirring and up-
an intention to replicate such knowledge to the scaling the on-going teacher quality improvement
classroom activities so as to have a positive impact on efforts and putting these policies on Capacity
the students (Stocklin, 2011). Building becomes a challenge in terms of inadequate
resources and misplaced priorities (Sanyal, 2013).
This consists of designed and planned short tenure
training programmes and class designed to meet In Partnership to Capacity Building Kenya Institute of
assorted specialized needs of teaching, school Curriculum Development (KICD) Act No. 4 of 2013
management and headship (Giwa (2012). It aims at has join forces with other establishments and
improving teachers’ ability, understanding and institution in classifying and carrying out professional
capability in granting the proper schooling of teachers advancement programmes for teachers, teacher
and the prerequisite of vital resources and trainers, worth assurance, standards officers and other
infrastructure (Baser and Heather, 2017). These officers concerned in education and training on
encourage sustainable teacher dedication to useful curriculum and materials (Oketch, 2017). In Kenya
education practices as well as guarantee the most of the public secondary schools, capacity
successful accomplishment of the nation’s building opportunities are often not easy to come by,
educational guidelines. The key feature associated this is one of the challenges facing capacity building
with the quality of education recount to teacher since KEMI courses need additional payment which
superiority on the implementation of the curriculum some schools cannot afford (Okusimba, 2017). Rare
(Panigrahi, 2012). The role teachers play in the promotion opportunities, delays experienced in the
building and safeguarding the future of any society disbursement of teachers’ salaries occasionally go up
through the education investment of its members has to three months. These are reasons for the lessening
long been known in all societies of the world. of Capacity Building levels and have improved levels
Capacity Building of teachers should be channeled of anxiety and discontent, ensuing in extremely poor
towards changes in student’s performance and this worth of education (Disch, 2017). The outcome has
should be a replication of what the teachers have been teachers eyeing possible way to earn modest
gained from the skills gained, knowledge and positive earning somewhere else and consequently quitting
attitudinal transformation (Tam, 2014). teaching; hence they do not take into much
consideration in the performance of the students
The value of teaching and learning in schools
(Levin, 2017).
translate to school success and student performance.
Therefore, the process of education delivery which is In Kericho County abhorrence have been captured in
the academic performance relies on the administration the headlines of many educational forums held in the
of education activities both at institution and national county concerning the state of KCSE performance of
level (Kaufman, 2017). This has seen both the school students as depicted in Table 1.1 below, with most of
and the government roll out capacity building so as to the blame being directed to the management where
guarantee that educational managers are informed to the Heads of Department fall into. In the past years
have essential management skills and knowledge SMASSE has been the only Capacity Building of
(Tendler, 2017). In their view Rogan & Grayson teachers in Kericho County. The concern of the study
(2004) Capacity Building differs depending on was to establish whether the HODs who are deployed
education, custom and structure. In places where to managerial positions had the basic managerial
teacher learning programmes are recognized in the skills to run the organizations now with KEMI taking
education system, the programme is seen as a way of center stage in capacity building HODs, see Table
taking up all activities that seeks to advance school 1.1.
teaching and learning.
Table 1.1: HODs Training and KCSE Mean Score in Kericho County
YEAR 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
HODs Trainees 125 284 504 600 886
KCSE M. S. 4.292 4.587 4.830 3.630 3.408
Source: Kericho County Education Office, 2018

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 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
From the Table 1.1 above, it can be noted that after public secondary schools have the diplomacy over the
2015 there has been decline from 4.830 to 3,630 in deployment of their own human capital, workers and
2016 and 3.408 in 2017.It is also noted that the firms need to concur on a switch over in the labour
percentage increase from 2013 to 2014 is 13.2% market. This means that the expenditure on Capacity
while that from 2014 to 2015 is 5.3%. The percentage Building and proceeds on KCSE performance are
decline from 2015 to 2016 is 24.8% while that from mutual between teachers in public secondary schools
2016 to 2017 is 6.11%. The highest mean score was and school, this forms a central unease on-the-job
4.830 in 2015 while the lowest was 3.408 in 2017. training literature.
This shows clearly that the performance is very
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
dismal as the years go by. According to Kafu (2011), the challenges facing
1.1. Statement of Problem teacher education programme are blamed on
In an ideal situation when Heads of Departments are inadequate human, material and financial resources,
trained, they should be efficient and effective on the which continue to hinder the production quality and
KCSE performance of the students. However, the competent teachers. The historical precincts, where
reality in Kericho County there is a decline in KCSE poorly trained teachers are allotted as teacher
performance despite the fact that they have trained on education administrators and graduates employed as
various aspects. The success of curriculum teacher trainers are to blame for poor teacher
implementation in schools is paramount to efficiency preparation for secondary schools. The appointment
and effective in academic performance. There is of poorly trained head teachers to head secondary
dismal performance in KCSE for the last five years schools through political influence was to blame for
with an average of mean score of 4.119 the schools in poor students’ performance (Kafu, 2011).
the County. This indicates that the students may not In a study conducted in Kenya to assess teaching
achieve academic excellence in present and future. learning resources and academic performance in
1.2. Objective secondary schools in Bondo District of Kenya, Yara
To establish the challenges encountered by schools on and Otieno (2010) made clear that the reasons of poor
Capacity Building of Heads of Departments in order Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE)
to improve KCSE performance of public schools in performance among students, especially in
Kericho County. mathematics is due to poor planning by teachers,
inadequate teaching and learning resources and
1.3. Rationale of the Study
teacher shortages. On poor students’ performance,
The findings of the study may be beneficial to the
teacher preparation has been made liable. Other
Sub-County and County Education Officers because
factors that influence students’ Kenya Certificate of
it may enlighten on the importance of capacity
Secondary Examination (KCSE) performance
building of heads of departments in a bid to improve
include: high cost of education in secondary schools,
KCSE performance in all the public schools in
lack of enough classrooms and lack of equipped
Kericho County. Heads of departments may use the
laboratories, libraries and Information,
findings to enhance their competencies in the
Communication and Technology (ICT) Centers
teaching and learning of various subjects of their
(Mitchel and Sackney, 2017). The causes of poor
departments in order to improve the students’
students’ performance is supported by Kenya’s
performance. The school administrators may also use
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
the findings when planning and strategizing for better
(MOEST) report that stated that shortage of teachers,
KCSE performance in national examinations.
shortage of material resources, low commitment by
Curriculum planners may find the research essential
some teachers and other key stakeholders to
in organizing for continuous In Service Training
supporting learners, low student admission
(INSET) for Heads of Department in all secondary
performance and insufficient funding of co-curricular
schools and other educational levels.
activities which are liked by most students (MOEST,
1.4. Theoretical Framework 2004).
Human Capital Theory as formalized by Becker and
Egbo (2011) explained that even though teachers’ are
Gerhart (1996) is the leading point of view on on-the-
a significant resource to student learning, in some
job training. This theory posits training as an
cases, teachers are responsible for poor students’
investment; it is raised with expectation of a prospect
performance. According to Oloffson (2017) teachers
yield but at a cost. The unique attribute of a human
are held responsible for the anguish in schools, in that
capital investment is its concern to property rights.
they are not as dutiful and keen to the cause of
Thus, if the people in management are trained, this is
education as their forerunners while teachers fault it
expected to result in high performance. As teachers in

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 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
on parents and the children. In support White (2017) in pointing out the previous weaknesses in relation to
says that they also hold the government responsible lack of professional capacity building towards Heads
for unappealing state of service where capacity of Departments (HODs).
building is inclusive and poor physical amenities in
3.2. Location of the Study
some elements of the educational system. But Franks This research study was conducted in Kericho
(2016) suggests that however, there is an awful call County. Despite the fact that there is continuous
for building teachers’ capacity so as to better routine assessment of schools Kenya Education
teachers’ performance. The government should be Management Institute officers academically the
tasked with devising essential strategies that will County has been performing badly for the last 5-years
counter the challenges in the educational system in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination
mostly in teacher capacity building. (KCSE) with average of 4.1494 mean score and
In Africa, measures are constantly being put in place therefore, provides a viable ground for scientific
to support and ease effective teaching to improve investigation (Birgen, 2009).
students’ performance but observed with many
3.3. Target Population
financial challenges (Pretorius, 2012). Sanyal (2013) The target population was composed of 200
explains that Africa has enough policies, means and Principals, 1000 Heads of Departments and 2000
processes to guarantee quality of teacher education Teachers totaling to 3200.
hence need for stirring and up-scaling the on-going
teacher quality improvement efforts. Albright (2006) 3.4. Sampling Techniques and Sample Size
advanced that professional development of teachers 3.4.1. Sampling Technique
as they are made aware of their responsibilities so as Simple random sampling was used on Principals,
to increases their job performance in schools. She HODs and Teachers. Kothari (2004) explains that
furthered that prompt evaluation of teacher simple random sampling is a sampling technique
development program should be carried out to ensure where each and every item in the population has an
the type of training that schools are providing for the equal chance of inclusion in the study.
teachers. 3.4.2. Sample Size
In Kenya most of the public secondary schools, The sample size was 80 Principals, 400 HODs, 800
Capacity Building opportunities are often not easy to Teachers totaling to 1280 respondents
come by, this is one of the challenges facing Capacity 3.5. Research Instruments
Building since Kenya Education Management The two types of research instruments were adopted
Institute (KEMI) courses need additional payment that is questionnaires for HODs, Teachers and
which some schools cannot afford (Fukuyama,2017). interview schedule for the Principals
According to UNESCO (2011), promotion
opportunities are rare amid an assorted category of 3.6. Data Collection Techniques
teachers. The delays experienced in the disbursement Data collection for was sort from the following
of teachers’ salaries occasionally go up to three authorities namely; School of Education, Graduate
months. These are reasons for the lessening of school, NACOSTI in the Ministry of Education.
Capacity Building levels and have improved levels of 3.7. Methods of Data Analysis
anxiety and discontent, ensuing in extremely poor Data analysis entails inspection, cleaning,
worth of education (Reezigt and Creeners, 2016). The transforming and modeling of data with the aim of
outcome leads teachers eyeing possible way to earn highlighting valuable information, suggesting
modest earning somewhere else and consequently tentative conclusions and enabling decision making
quitting teaching; hence they do not take into much (Orodho, 2017). The data was collected and analyzed
consideration in the performance of the students by the use of descriptive statistics. This was
(Whyte, 2017). appropriate for this study because it involved the
3. METHODOLOGY description, analysis and interpretation of
3.1. Research Design circumstances prevailing at the time of study. Data
This study employed a descriptive research design as analysis was done in relation to the objectives of this
it involves gathering data as well as describing events through quantitative and qualitative methods.
(Orodho, 2009). Descriptive methods are broadly 4. RESULTS
employed to acquire data handy in assessing present The respondents cited these challenges namely: on
practices and giving room for decision. The design the lack of finance majority respondents 142(36.7%)
allowed the researcher to use instruments like agreed. On the outsourcing trainers majority
questionnaires and interview schedules. This assisted respondents 116(29.7%) agreed. On the Adequacy of

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 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
time majority respondents 121(21.3%) disagreed. On International Conference on Teaching,
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heavy workload, majority respondents, 155(39.7%)
School Teachers on the Quality of Professional
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