The Principal's Role in Recognizing Teacher Performance and Teachers' Job Satisfaction in Public Secondary Schools in Bungoma South Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

As part of their managerial assignments, Principals are expected to play a central role in enhancing teacher job satisfaction so as to achieve the desired results. The study sought to establish the principal’s role in recognition of teachers’ performance and teachers’ job satisfaction in public secondary schools in Bungoma South Sub- county. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population was 969 respondents and 61 public secondary schools in Bungoma South sub-county. Simple random sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 272 teachers and 19 principals. Self-administered questionnaires for Principals and teachers were used to collect data. Experts in the Department of Educational Planning and Management at Kibabii University ascertained content validity of the research instruments. Piloting of the instruments was conducted in two schools in the neighbouring sub-county that did not participate in the actual study. Test retest was used to ascertain the reliability of study instruments. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics which included mean, t-tests, range and standard deviation and inferential statistics which included person regression coefficient. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used for data analysis. The findings were presented in tables, figures and thematic discussions. The study revealed that there was a strong positive correlation between principal recognizing the value of teacher’s hard work and teachers job satisfaction levels [r=0.657, p<0.05]. Meanwhile, principal recognizing teachers hard work, principal praising teachers for good performance and principal providing financial benefits for good performance had statistically significant positive effect on teacher job satisfaction levels [β=0.204, p<0.05), (β=0.147, p<0.05) and (β=0.196. p<0.05) respectively.