Effects of Teachers’ Administrative Strategies on Gender Gap in KCSE Performance of Public Mixed Boarding Secondary Schools in Nandi North Sub-County, Kenya.

Abstract

Discrepancies in performance between males and females are a common phenomenon globally. Despite measures to promote equitable gender opportunities in education, significant performance gaps persist between male and female students in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, especially in Nandi North Sub-County. Specifically, available data shows that over the period of 2016-2020, boys generally outperformed girls. This mixed method approach study aimed to holistically explore the boarding secondary schools in Nandi North Sub-County over a one and half year period from January 2020 to July 2021. Nandi North Sub-County was selected because education reports indicate consistent disparities in KCSE results compared to other sub-counties in Nandi County. Specifically, Nandi North has experienced a more pronounced performance gap between boys and girls, suggesting teachers' strategies may contribute to this issue. The study therefore addressed three specific objectives; to establish the effects of classroom management strategies, to examine the effects of teaching approaches, and to determine the effects of school policy implementation on disparities in KCSE results. They used a descriptive research design. Three directors, six CSOs, and 212 teachers made up the target population. In order to obtain deeper insights, 180 teachers who completed surveys were chosen by purposeful sampling, while Directors and CSOs participated in in-depth qualitative interviews. While qualitative data from interviews was subjected to thematic analysis, quantitative data was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Validity of the research instruments was done through an expert panel consisting of two education lecturers tasked with examining the questionnaires and interview guides. The panel carefully evaluated whether the tools would sufficiently capture the necessary information to achieve the study objectives. Based on their feedback, appropriate revisions were made to validate the instruments. Furthermore, a pilot test was administered in the neighboring Chesumei Sub-County using the instruments to confirm if they could generate quality data. Adjustments were then made to the tools based on the pilot results. The study found that 85.1% (126) of the teachers believed that classroom arrangements created a conducive environment for learning for both boys and girls, 87.1% (129) of the teachers acknowledged that group work was the most appropriate measure of ensuring equitable quality education for all learners, and 86.5% (127) of the teachers acknowledged that the introduction of sex education as a school policy leads to quality education outcomes for both boys and girls. Qualitatively, Directors and CSOs noted the crucial role played by teachers’ classroom organization and inclusive teaching approaches in promoting gender equality in schools. The study findings indicated that all the study variables, teachers’ classroom management strategies, teachers’ teaching strategies, and teachers’ application of school administrative policies all influence the gender gap in the academic performance of KCSE candidates. The study established the crucial role played by teachers’ strategies in addressing disparities. It is recommended that priority be accorded to teacher training, policy reviews and adoption of inclusive teaching to promote equitable outcomes. The research addresses a critical gap by specifically examining administrative influences in this context. This study contributes meaningful insights on progressing SDG targets of quality and inclusive education.