Board of Management curriculum implementation practices and students' academic outcomes in public day secondary schools in Kitui and Embu Counties, Kenya

Abstract

This study examined the influence of Board of Management curriculum implementation practices on students' academic outcomes in public day secondary schools in Kitui and Embu Counties, Kenya. Despite increased investment in secondary education, concerns persist regarding students' academic outcomes in many public day secondary schools. Effective curriculum implementation requires adequate instructional resources, learning facilities, curriculum monitoring, and support systems, which are partly facilitated by Boards of Management. Guided by Open Systems Theory, the study adopted a correlational research design. The target population comprised Board of Management chairpersons, principals, heads of departments, student leaders, County Directors of Education, and Sub-County Directors of Education. A sample of 361 respondents was selected using stratified, purposive, and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using questionnaires and interview schedules. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and simple linear regression, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that Board of Management curriculum implementation practices had a positive and statistically significant influence on students' academic outcomes (r = .455, p = .000). Regression analysis further showed that curriculum implementation practices significantly predicted students' academic outcomes (β = .455, t = 9.231, p = .000) and explained 20.7% of the variation in academic outcomes (R² = .207). The study concludes that effective curriculum implementation practices significantly enhance students' academic outcomes. The study recommends strengthening the capacity of Boards of Management through continuous training on curriculum implementation, resource mobilization, and instructional support to improve educational outcomes in public secondary schools.