Influence of Teachers Performance Appraisal and Development of Students' Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools In Transmara East -East Sub County, Narok County, Kenya

Abstract

Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development takes a crucial part in enhancing staffs’ performance, reward, motivation and training. A thorough inspection of most public secondary schools in Trans Mara East Sub-County, disclosed a declined in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education schools’ average performance from 2018 to 2022. Whether Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) implementation has influence on performance of a leaner’s academic achievement is not evident. Hence, this study was to investigate the influence of teacher performance appraisal and development on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Trans Mara East Sub-County, Kenya. It was guided by the following specific objectives; to assess the influence of professional knowledge, to establish influence of learning environment, to determine the influence of teachers’ professionalism and to examine the influence of professional learning community on the academic performance of students in public secondary schools in Trans Mara East Sub-County. It was steered by Goal Setting theory of Motivation and Feedback intervention theory (FIT). It adopted descriptive survey design. 277 respondents consisting of 1 Teacher Service Commission (TSC) Sub-County director, 34 principals, 242 TSC teachers from 34 public secondary school teachers in Trans Mara East Sub-County took part. Stratified random sampling technique to get 164 respondents comprising of 1 TSC sub-county director, 20 principals and 143 teachers employed by TSC used. Questionnaires were utilized to get data from teachers while interview schedule was given to TSC Sub-County director and principals. Test-retest and content validity index were applied to guarantee reliability and validity of research instruments respectively. Data collected were of both quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative facts were evaluated by descriptive statistics; frequency, mean and standard deviation as well as inferential statistics where multiple linear regression model was adopted to ascertain the relationship between TPAD indicators and students’ achievement. The quantitative results were presented in tables. Qualitative data was analysed thematically which was triangulated with quantitative data. Findings reveals that teachers in their professional knowledge showed mastery of subject content, uses appropriate teaching styles, develops required documentation, learning assessment, utilize learning and teaching resources sufficiently. Hence, professional knowledge had positive significant influence on academic performance of students (β1=0.206, P=0.032<0.05). Teachers are able to create learning environment for learners, ensure safety and control learners’ behaviours. Comprehensive learning environment positively and significantly influence academic performance of students (β2=0.191, P=0.019<0.05). Teachers achieves professional, ethical and legal requirement therefore, teachers’ professionalism had positive significant influence on academic performance of students (β3=0.486, P=0.000<0.05). Finally, teachers poorly participate in professional learning community though it had positive significant influence on academic performance of students (β4 =0.250, P=0.000<0.05). The study concludes that professional knowledge, comprehensive learning environment, and teachers' professionalism has positive significant influence on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Trans Mara East Sub-County, Kenya. The study recommended that the government should improve in training, assessment and e-resource for ICT integration in learning and teaching of students.