PLANNING DYNAMICS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UPGRADED EXTRA-COUNTY SCHOOLS TO NATIONAL STATUS IN WESTERN KENYA COUNTIES

Abstract

A report by Auditor General for the year 2018 showed that the upgraded 85 National Schools had recorded increased enrolment of students but these institutions experienced strained instructional, human and infrastructural facilities. The report noted that the upgrading of these schools to national status resulted to deterioration and congestion of the existing facilities with 73.0% of classrooms holding more than 45 students. This situation impelled the study to examine planning dynamics and its influence academic performance of upgraded extra-County Schools to national status in Western Kenya Counties. To achieve the purpose of the study, the following were specific objectives: to determine the influence instructional material planning on academic performance of upgraded National Schools, to examine the infrastructure dynamics on academic performance of upgraded National Schools, to establish the human resource dynamics on academic performance of upgraded National Schools and to assess the financial dynamics influence academic performance of upgraded Extra County Schools to national status in Western Kenya Counties of Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga and Busia. The study was guided by resource-based view theory to explain the interactions between independent and dependent variables. The study used a pragmatic philosophical paradigm which combines the use of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The research adopted a descriptive research design; the target population were 295 teachers and eight Principals in upgraded Extra County Schools to national level. Sample size calculation formular by Role was used to get 170 teachers who were selected through simple random sampling method whereas all eight Principals were selected using purposive sampling. Data for this investigation was collected through teacher questionnaire, interview schedule for Principal and document analysis guide for secondary data. Expert judgment was used to determine validity of the data collection tools. Test re-test technique was used to determine the reliability of the research questionnaire for teachers. The collected data was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics with the presented using frequency tables and graphical illustration. The hypothesis for the study was tested at 0.05 significant levels. Qualitative data was analysed through thematic content analysis and presented through narrations. It was established that, only financial resource mobilisation had significant relationship with academic performance of upgraded National Schools in Western region. Human resource (r=0.070, p=0.380), instructional (r=0.074, p=0.357) and (infrastructural facilities r=0.063, p=0.432) had no significant (p>0.05) relationship with performance of the upgraded schools to national level in Western Kenyan Counties. The research concludes that with increased enrolment of learners, the TSC and BOM did not adequately supply teachers and support staff. The increased enrolment did not match with increased infrastructure facilities. The provision of instructional learning resources prior to upgrading was not done hence affecting teaching and learning. Only financial planning strategies were the found to positively affecting academic performance. The study concludes that not much planning had been done and actualised in upgraded National Schools to match increased enrolment resulting to decline in performance. The study recommends that national government Ministry of Education to provide text-books to schools should be enhanced to ensure they reach the target students on time. This will enhance effective curriculum process. TSC need to consider providing additional teachers required in schools to address the current shortfall that is low