Influence of head teachers’ collegial leadership on pupils’ academic performance at the Kenya certificate of primary education in Vihiga County, Kenya

There is no school that can exist in a vacuum without the community. The head teacher should thus enhance a culture of peaceful co-existence between the school and the community in order to influence the effective utilization and sustainability of the available resources. Schools exist in the heart of each community and school-community links are beneficial. The main objective of this study was to establish the influence of head teachers’ collegial leadership on pupils’ KCPE performance. The study was based on scientific management theory. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The study participants were head teachers, teachers, pupils and education officers. The target population was 14860 that comprised; 371 head teachers, 4450 teachers, 10017 pupils’ council leadership and 22 education officers. A sample of 390 participants was selected to take part in the study. The researcher used stratified sampling technique to select sample schools and zones from the County. Simple random sampling was used to sample 77 head teachers, 154 teachers and 5 education officers while census sampling was used to sample 154 pupils’ council leadership. Questionnaires, interview guide and observation schedule were used to collect data. A pilot study was conducted in different schools and one zone from the neighbouring Nandi County to help refine the instruments. Questionnaires were validated by conducting a pre-test and through expert judgment by the supervisors. The Split-half technique that is administered once to the study participants was used to test instruments reliability. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as means, percentages and frequencies with the aid of SPSS and the findings presented using tables. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis and findings presented in narrative and verbatim form. The findings indicated that head teachers collegial relationship with parents or community does not assist with children completion of homework assignments and schools infrastructural development. However, the findings indicated that head teachers’ collegial leadership assists with pupil’s school attendance, discipline and academic outcomes. It was concluded that most head teachers have a collegial relationship with teachers that improve pupils’ academic performance. The results indicated a significant relationship between head teachers’ collegial leadership and pupils’ academic performance. The test of the null hypothesis on head teachers enhancing or not enhancing collegial leadership was rejected as shown by a p-value = 0.000. The study concludes that head teachers collegial leadership is the most significant influence on pupils’ academic performance at KCPE. The study recommended that the school head teachers and the County education office through the Ministry of Education should enhance head teachers training and capacity building in collegial leadership through in-service courses, workshops, meetings and seminars in order to improve school performance.