Journal of Education

Influence of School Financial Control on Financial Management of Public Secondary Schools in Kericho County, Kenya

Zachary Gitonga Mutuiri — 2026-04-13

Governments allocate substantial financial resources to secondary education to enhance learning quality and institutional development. These resources require prudent management through effective financial control systems to ensure accountability, transparency, and optimal utilization. However, audit reports in public secondary schools in Kenya persistently reveal financial mismanagement, weak procurement practices, inadequate infrastructure, and recurring fiscal crises. This study examined how financial control practices shape financial management performance in public secondary schools in Kenya. The study was anchored in Systems Theory. A concurrent nested design was employed within a mixed-methods research approach. The target population comprised 239 public secondary schools in Kericho County, from which a stratified sample of 72 schools (30%) was selected. Units of observation included 72 principals, 72 bursars, 72 student presidents, one County School Auditor, and 24 Boards of Management chairpersons. Stratified, purposive, and simple random sampling techniques were utilized. Data were collected through questionnaires, interview guides, and document analysis. Instrument validity was established through content and construct validation, while reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Quantitative data were analyzed using inferential statistical techniques; qualitative data were analyzed thematically and presented through tables, figures, and emergent themes. Findings revealed weak implementation of financial management policies, limited stakeholder involvement, and inadequate enforcement of financial control mechanisms across many secondary schools. The study concluded that effective financial control significantly influences financial management outcomes in public secondary schools. It recommends that the Ministry of Education and Boards of Management strengthen financial control structures, clearly delineate the authority and responsibilities of school bursars within institutional hierarchies, and enhance stakeholder participation in financial oversight. This study contributes original empirical evidence underscoring the critical role of robust financial control systems in advancing accountability and sound financial management in public secondary schools.

Influence of Senior Academic Staff Members’ Expertise on Learners’ Career Progression. A focus on Higher Education in Kenya

John Ouru Nyaegah — 2026-04-18

A full academic career encompasses both successes and failures. The purpose of this study was to delve into academic successes and failures, going beyond the conventional focus on objective measures, such as performance, rankings, and funding. Through semi-structured interviews with twelve senior academics from seven universities, we explored personal definitions of success and failure and lessons learned from these experiences. Key findings reveal shifts in senior academics’ perceptions of success and failure over time, providing a window into what matters to academics throughout their careers. Drawing on concepts from research on ‘regret’ and ‘polarities’, the study identifies ‘core realms of success and failure. The researcher also proposes a reconceptualization of success and failure that goes beyond positioning these as binary opposites and presents a more integrated, nuanced, and holistic view of what it means to lead a ‘good academic life’. The study provides pragmatic reflective prompts for institutions to consider as they reimagine policies and practices to better support this vision.

Link Between Participation in Competitive Sports, Self-Esteem and Discipline Among Secondary School Students in Meru County, Kenya

Michubu Leonard Mutura — 2026-04-18

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of participation and non-participation in competitive sports on self-esteem and discipline among secondary school students in Meru County, Kenya. The target population comprised all secondary school students in Meru County, Kenya. Sample size included participants in basketball, hockey, and handball in the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) up to the regional championship in term one (January-April) year 2024. Purposive sampling was used to obtain a total sample size of 384 participants who responded. 192 sports participants who progressed to the regional level were identified by census. Each of them identified a matching friend to form a group of 192 non-competitive participants. Questionnaires and discipline analysis guides provided data for the study. The collected data were quantitative and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics included percentages, means, frequency counts, and standard deviations; whereas, inferential statistics included Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r), Chi-square, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and post hoc test of Tukey’s HSD. All statistical tests were carried out at p< 0.05 level of significance. According to the study's null hypothesis (H₀₁), there is no statistically significant difference in students' self-esteem levels between those who play competitive sports and those who do not. This hypothesis was assessed using a chi-square (χ²) test. Engagement in athletic activities was associated with self-worth in a statistically significant manner (χ² (2) = 152.63, p = .001). Consequently, the null hypothesis was rejected at the 0.05 level of significance, suggesting that students' self-esteem varied meaningfully by their involvement in competitive sports. Participants in such activities demonstrated notably higher self-esteem compared to their non-participating peers. Kenyan secondary schools should develop integrated programs that combine sports participation with behavioural and counselling among Kenyan secondary school students. Ministry of Education and other agencies in the ministry should develop a policy that prioritizes investments in sports programs to foster self-esteem and improve overall student well-being.

Effect of Utilization of Alerting Assistive Technologies on the Academic Performance in Primary Schools for Learners with Hearing Challenges in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties

Sabina Murithi — 2026-04-24

Despite Kenya's robust legal frameworks that guarantee equitable education for learners with disabilities, primary school learners with hearing challenges in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties consistently score between 100 and 200 marks, compared with a national mean of 250, indicating a persistent academic performance gap. This study investigated the effect of on the academic performance of learners with hearing challenges in three special primary schools across the two counties. Guided by Miller's Learning Theory (1957), which frames technology as a critical cue mechanism enabling learners to perceive stimuli essential for academic engagement, the study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population comprised 318 respondents, and adopted proportionate stratified random sampling, which yielded 118 participants, including 73 learners, 13 teachers, 9 technical staff, 3 head teachers, and 2 County Directors of Education. Data were collected via questionnaires, interview schedules, focus group discussions, and KCPE document analysis (2015–2021), then analyzed using SPSS for descriptive statistics and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Findings revealed that 70.9% of learners reported insufficient alerting devices, 74.4% had received no sensitization, 67.4% lacked utilization skills, and 68.6% noted poor maintenance. Correlation analysis yielded a statistically non-significant relationship (r = .109, p = .345), attributable to extremely low utilization rates. The study concludes that systemic deficits in device provision, training, and policy frameworks collectively compromise learners' environmental awareness and academic engagement. The Ministry of Education should prioritize procurement of vibrating alarms and visual alert systems, while the Teacher Service Commission and Kenya Institute of Special Education should implement targeted training programmes. Uniquely, this study provides the first empirical evidence on the role of alerting assistive technologies in the academic outcomes of hearing-impaired learners in Kenya.