Principals’ Instructional Supervisory Role on Student Academic Performance in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Igembe North Sub County, Kenya

Abstract

Students in Igembe North sub-county have consistently lagged behind in academic performance, highlighting a concerning trend that demands urgent attention. Thus, this study examined principals’ instructional supervisory role on student academic performance in public secondary schools in Igembe North Sub County, Meru county, Kenya. The study’s specific objectives was to: examine principals’ instructional supervisory techniques and student academic performance, analyze supervisory factors influencing student academic performance, determine teachers’ perceptions toward principals’ instructional supervision, and explore constraints faced by the principals when executing the supervisory role. The inquiry was anchored in the Psychological Theory of Supervision and employed a Concurrent triangulation mixed method research design. The target population consisted 31 principals, 427 teachers and 1643 form four students for all 31 public secondary schools in Igembe North. Using purposive sampling, 10 principals were selected, while 128 teachers and 324 Form Four students were sampled through simple random sampling. Data was gathered using questionnaires, interview guides and document analysis guide. Instrument reliability was verified via Cronbach’s alpha, with coefficients of 0.84 for teachers’ and 0.76 for students’ questionnaires. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and presented via direct quotes. T-test and Anova were utilized to test the hypothesis. Findings from one-sample t-test revealed a statistically significant relationship between principals’ instructional supervisory techniques and student academic performance (p = 0.002, ˂ 0.05, p = 0.001, ˂ 0.05). Notably, the findings established that principals’ instructional supervisory role significantly impacted student academic performance. However, most principals were inconsistent in conducting classroom observations and checking teachers’ professional records. Results further revealed, that while most teachers perceived instructional supervision as beneficial for professional development, a significant number perceived supervision as authoritarian. Teachers’ perceptions remained consistent across demographic characteristics such as gender, age and education level, implying that principals can adopt uniform supervisory strategies across diverse teacher profiles. Several factors were identified as negatively affecting academic performance including chronic absenteeism, insufficient instructional materials, low student entry behavior, drug abuse, delayed syllabus coverage and understaffing. Constraints to effective instructional supervision included limited time, excessive workloads, demanding administrative responsibilities, teacher fatigue, and unfavorable teacher attitudes toward supervision. The research proposes that the Ministry of Education should strengthen policies that mandate regular classroom visits and lesson observations by principals and establish monitoring framework to track execution of instructional supervision strategies in schools. The study further recommends a democratic and developmental supervision model to enhance teachers’ confidence, reduce anxiety, and foster a more positive attitude towards classroom observation. The research provides practical guidance for strengthening instructional leadership and improving student achievement.