Journal of Educational Leadership and Management
The Kenya Education Leadership and Management Institute (KEMI) is a Public Management Development Institute under the Ministry of Education. KEMI was established by the Government of Kenya in 1981. The institute is mandated under Legal Notice 19/2010 of the Education Act to undertake Management Training, Research and Consultancy services. The KEMI Journal of Education Leadership and Management (KEMI/JEM) is the official, bi-annual, research journal of the Kenya Education Management Institute. The journal is intended to foster and enhance development of an increasingly vibrant and diverse field of research and debate about professional issues in Education Leadership and Management. To fulfill its mission, the journal aims to: Provide a mechanism by which results of research will be disseminated to education stakeholders by KEMI; Provide a platform to researchers, scholars, and practitioners to share research findings; and Raise the visibility of researchers. ISSN: 3079-4048
GEN Z’S CONSCIOUS UNBOSSING: RETHINKING LEADERSHIP ASPIRATIONS, MENTAL HEALTH, AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES IN THE 21ST CENTURY WORKPLACE
This paper examines the emerging phenomenon of Gen Z’s “conscious unbossing,” a deliberate reluctance to pursue traditional leadership roles in favor of autonomy, purpose, and mental well-being. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z does not equate success with hierarchical advancement; instead, they critique conventional leadership models as stressful and misaligned with their values. Drawing on secondary data and global workforce surveys, the study explores how conscious unbossing reshapes leadership aspirations, disrupts succession planning, and pushes organizations toward flatter, collaborative structures. The findings highlight three key dynamics: leadership redefined as facilitation rather than authority, mental health as a decisive factor in career decisions, and organizational opportunities for innovation through distributed leadership. The paper concludes that conscious unbossing represents both a challenge and an opportunity for organizations. To remain competitive, employers must redesign leadership pathways, prioritize mental health policies, and embrace purpose-driven, inclusive organizational cultures. This study contributes to contemporary debates in organizational leadership by reframing succession planning and leadership development strategies in the context of generational change.
School Leadership and Promotion of Gender Support Practices in Public Schools in Kenya
This study examines the role of school leadership in promoting gender support practices in public secondary schools in Kenya, guided by Transformational Leadership Theory and the Gender and Development Framework. Using a qualitative approach, the research analyzes secondary data and literature to assess the availability of gender support services, leadership involvement, challenges faced in implementation, strategic interventions, and the influence of leadership on gender equity outcomes. The findings reveal that while gender support services such as mentorship programs, inclusive infrastructure, gender-sensitive pedagogy, and safeguarding mechanisms are being increasingly adopted, their effectiveness is closely linked to the commitment and capacity of school leaders. Gender-responsive leadership emerges as a critical factor in fostering inclusive school cultures, enforcing policies, and improving learning outcomes, particularly for girls. However, systemic challenges such as limited funding, inadequate training, weak monitoring, and entrenched socio-cultural norms undermine these efforts. The study highlights the strategies employed by school leaders, including transformational leadership practices like challenging cultural norms, fostering community dialogue, engaging local stakeholders, and establishing peer support structures, gender clubs, and mentorship programs to create a safe and equitable environment for girls. Schools with effective leadership reported better retention rates and academic performance among girls, alongside stronger adherence to national gender equity policies. The study concludes that equipping school leaders with gender-sensitive competencies is crucial for sustainable progress, recommending enhanced leadership training, integration of gender indicators into school assessments, and stronger policy enforcement through collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI).
Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Inclusive Educational Practices in Kenya
This paper presents a systematic literature review assessing the role of self-efficacy among teachers in inclusive education in Kenya. While access to inclusive education is growing globally and nationally, successful implementation remains inconsistent, particularly in contexts with limited institutional and professional support. This review critically synthesizes peer-reviewed theoretical and empirical studies published between 2020 and 2025, sourced from Google Scholar and PubMed. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, it examines how teacher self-efficacy relates to teaching experience, classroom management, and institutional environments as determinants of inclusive instructional behavior. Findings reveal a strong connection between self-efficacy and the adoption of inclusive instructional strategies such as differentiated teaching and adaptive classroom management. However, experience alone proved insufficient without ongoing professional development and institutional support. The review also highlights systemic challenges in Kenya, including inadequate training, resource limitations, and a gap between policy and practice factors that undermine teacher confidence and capacity to implement inclusion effectively. The paper concludes that strengthening inclusive education in Kenya requires deliberate investment in teacher development, practical policy implementation, and inclusive school leadership. These measures are essential to building and sustaining teacher self-efficacy so that inclusive education moves from aspiration to tangible classroom reality. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and researchers committed to empowering teachers and enhancing inclusive education.
Inclusive Education Practices and Student Achievement in Kenya
This desktop analysis discusses the relationship between inclusive education practice and the achievement of Students in Kenya's basic education. Inclusive education is built on the belief that all Students, regardless of ability, socioeconomic status, gender, or physical condition, are equally entitled to good quality education in ordinary schools. It calls for deliberate adaptation of pedagogy, curriculum, learning materials, and school organization to cater to varied learning needs of all Students. The review identifies four constructs as essential: differentiated learning, access to learning materials, teacher preparedness, and school-level inclusivity policies. The review invokes recent research, national-level policy documents, and international frameworks, and synthesizes empirical and conceptual knowledge that is relevant in the Kenyan situation. Inclusive education, where it is implemented well, has been shown to raise academic attainment, social inclusion, and students' well-being. Teacher teamwork and instruction differentiation were particularly noted to be effective. Nevertheless, degrading infrastructure, inadequate teachers' professional development, and irregular application of inclusive policies still remain obstacles to progress. In addition, stigma and attitudinal barriers remain an obstacle for students with disabilities and marginalized group students. Consistent with these findings, the research recommends heightened investment in teacher capacity development in line with inclusive pedagogy, access to assistive technologies and infrastructure development, and mainstreaming in the adoption of inclusive policy through school audits at regular intervals and community sensitization. Scaling these up will help Kenya achieve its ambition of realizing equity, inclusion, and improved Student outcomes, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4. Overall, inclusive practices hold much potential to transform the learning experience and outcome of all Kenyan Students.
School Governance and Climate Responsive Education: A conceptual framework for engagement in sustainable climate-responsive education.
Climate change presents a profound threat to educational systems globally, particularly in developing countries like Kenya where vulnerabilities to climate-induced disruptions are high. Schools have the potential to act as transformative hubs for climate action through climate-responsive education—yet this potential remains underutilized due to governance-related challenges. This study critically examines how school governance constructs—namely leadership and vision, policy and planning, resource mobilization, and stakeholder engagement—influence the implementation of climate-responsive education in Kenya’s basic education subsector. Anchored in Transformational Leadership Theory and Ecological Systems Theory, the research adopts a desktop methodology, synthesizing policy documents, empirical studies, and international case examples. Findings reveal that visionary leadership significantly boosts environmental initiatives, but professional development in sustainability remains limited. School-level policies often fail to reflect national climate priorities due to weak enforcement mechanisms and inadequate planning capacity. Furthermore, resource constraints and donor dependence hinder the scalability of green infrastructure, while participatory structures for community and student involvement are inconsistently implemented. The study concludes that Kenya’s education system requires a systemic shift in governance—moving from reactive administrative compliance to integrated, transformative leadership. Key recommendations include embedding climate governance into school leader training, mainstreaming climate policy into school operations, mobilizing innovative financing mechanisms, and institutionalizing stakeholder participation. The study contributes to the growing discourse on climate-smart education governance and offers a conceptual framework for reimagining schools as agents of climate resilience and environmental stewardship.
Environmental sustainability in schools.
Collaborative Partnership Strategies and Sustainable Quality Education in Public Primary Schools in Kenya
This study explored the role of collaborative partnership strategies in promoting sustainable quality education in public primary schools in Kenya. Guided by three objectives, the study sought to investigate how school community linkages contribute to quality education, assess the extent to which public private partnerships influence educational outcomes and identify barriers to effective collaboration. Drawing on Co - production theory and Collaborative Governance theory, the study employed a desktop research methodology, analyzing secondary data from academic journals, policy documents, and empirical studies. It focused on three key areas: the contribution of school community linkages, the role of Public Private Partnerships and the barriers that hinder effective collaboration. The findings revealed that active community involvement in school governance, development planning and learner support enhanced educational outcomes, resource utilization, and accountability. Public Private Partnerships were also found to strengthen education delivery through infrastructure development, teacher training and digital learning resources, particularly in marginalized regions. The study also identified critical challenges such as limited stakeholder coordination, unclear role definition, and capacity gaps as major impediments to effective partnership implementation. The study concludes that collaborative strategies can significantly improve the quality and sustainability of basic education in public primary schools when supported by clear policy frameworks, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and targeted capacity building. These insights provide practical guidance for policymakers, school leaders, and development partners seeking to foster effective, equitable, and locally responsive education systems through school community linkages and public private partnerships.
public private partnerships, collaborative partnerships
sustainable quality education and public primary schools
Determinants of the digital divide in delivering inclusive education in public schools
The digital divide continues to expose entrenched disparities in access to quality learning, even as digital technologies become integral to modern education systems. This study investigates the key determinants of the digital divide and their implications for delivering inclusive education in public schools. Grounded in Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Digital Leadership Theory, the research employs a qualitative methodology through a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed articles, and empirical research, and policy documents. The findings highlight ICT skills, digital leadership, and ICT infrastructure as critical enablers or barriers to digital inclusion. Deficiencies in digital competencies among teachers and learners, limited infrastructure, and insufficient digital leadership exacerbate exclusion—especially in marginalized, rural, and low-income contexts. The study emphasizes that digital leadership is central to promoting equitable education by fostering teacher professional development, strategic resource allocation, and inclusive pedagogical practices. Furthermore, the presence of robust ICT infrastructure—including stable electricity, reliable internet, and adequate digital devices—is essential for meaningful digital participation. The research advocates for integrated, context-sensitive interventions that prioritize not only access, but also digital fluency, affordability, and the deployment of adaptive technologies for learners with diverse needs. It concludes by calling for cross-sector collaboration and long-term policy reforms to embed digital equity within the broader goals of inclusive education.
Participative and Pacesetting Leadership Styles: Predictors of Teacher Job Satisfaction in Public Secondary Schools in Embakasi Sub-County, Nairobi.
Teacher job satisfaction in public secondary schools remains a pressing concern. This study aimed to examine the influence of participative and pacesetting leadership styles on teachers’ job satisfaction in public secondary schools in Embakasi Sub-County, Nairobi. Guided by Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, the study employed a descriptive survey design. The target population comprised principals, teachers, and education officers, with a sample of 71 respondents comprising 7 principals, 63 teachers, and 1 education officer. Purposive sampling was used for principals and education officers due to their strategic roles, while teachers were selected through a stratified random sampling technique. Data collection involved structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Content validity was ensured through expert review, and instrument reliability was confirmed via a pilot study, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.78. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and regression analysis. Results indicated a strong positive relationship between pacesetting leadership and teacher job satisfaction (r = 0.741, p < 0.01), with the pacesetting style showing the highest influence (β = 0.801). Participative leadership also had a significant positive impact (β = 0.700, p < 0.05). The findings reveal that while pacesetting boosts performance, it may alienate less confident teachers. However, Participative leadership fosters inclusion but may slow decisions. The study recommends a balanced leadership approach that combines high expectations with inclusive practices to enhance job satisfaction and institutional effectiveness.
Influence of Distributed Leadership on Performance of Public Secondary Schools in Kenya
The persistent variance in academic outcomes and teacher effectiveness across public secondary schools in Kenya is a direct reflection of that can be attributed to the both rigidity and centralized leadership structures. Drawing on recent empirical studies, distributed leadership has emerged as a critical leadership model in enhancing school performance globally. In Kenya, teacher effectiveness and academic performance vary significantly across institutions. Therefore, understanding the influence of shared leadership practices is essential for effective school performance, this paper examines how shifting from a top-down hierarchy to distributed leadership can unlock and stabilize organizational performance. The paper adopted a desktop meta-analysis research design, focusing only on analyzed peer-reviewed articles, government reports, and institutional publications. Data were obtained from academic databases, including Google Scholar and Ministry of Education reports. Thematic analysis was applied to synthesize findings on the influence of distributed leadership on the performance of public secondary schools. The analysis establishes that distributed leadership, defined by three core components; collective decision-making, teacher collaboration, and shared accountability systems. These significantly contributes to enhanced academic performance and strengthens overall teacher effectiveness. Based on these findings, the study recommends policy makes need to take practical interventions that promote distributed leadership practices in Kenyan schools.
teacher effectiveness, academic performance
Shaping Transformational Instructional Leaders in Early Childhood Education: A Reflection on the "Foundation for Learning" Course Impact Across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania
Teachers promoted without formal leadership training often lead small early years schools across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, and face critical instructional and community engagement challenges. This paper aligns with the sub-theme “Institutional Leadership for Curriculum Leadership” by examining how structured leadership development empowers teachers-in-charge to drive change in resource-constrained early childhood settings. The study aimed to explore how the Foundation for Learning Transformational Instructional Leadership Course influences the leadership identity, instructional practices, and community engagement of early childhood teachers-in-charge. The researchers used a qualitative descriptive approach and gathered data through reflective surveys from over 800 alumni across Coastal Kenya, the islands of Pemba and Ugunja, and Uganda's Arua and Koboko districts. The survey included Likert-scale self-assessments and open-ended reflections, which were analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke's (2006) framework. The findings revealed significant shifts: participants transitioned from task-based management to confident, adaptive, and instructional leadership. Teachers reported increased use of mentoring, collaborative planning, action research, and strengthened community partnerships, which directly influenced teaching quality, learner outcomes, and school culture. However, they also highlighted persistent systemic barriers such as limited resources and the need for governance capacity-building. The study highlights the importance of integrating context-responsive, practice-based leadership preparation into early childhood education systems to enhance curriculum implementation and foster sustainable school improvement. For policymakers and practitioners, the evidence suggests that investing in school-based leadership development can foster both instructional excellence and stronger school-community relationships in under-resourced environments.
Transformational Professional Development
Leadership Support: Enhancing Kenyan Junior School Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge in STEM Education
All teachers require continuous professional development and support for effective teaching and learning. Many Kenyan Junior School teachers are novices, having been recently recruited, and therefore require support. This article presents findings from a study conducted by the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology (CEMASTEA) and Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs) in 20 counties in Kenya. The study examined the role of leadership-driven in enhancing junior school teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in STEM education. Aspects of the lesson evaluated included learner engagement, use of resources, and assessment. Data were collected through pre-and post-lesson observation and group discussion. Findings show that leadership support significantly improved teachers’ use of resources, learner-centered pedagogy, and formative assessment practices. The study recommends institutionalizing school-based support mechanisms to ensure lasting impacts in STEM education.
Leadership Styles and Competency Development in Junior School Learning Institutions in Kenya.
The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of leadership styles on competency development in Junior School learning Institutions in Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: To establish the influence of transformational, transactional, laissez-faire, and servant leadership on competency development in Junior School learning Institutions in Kenya. The study was anchored to the trait theory of leadership, path-goal leadership theory, behavioral leadership theory, leadership-member exchange theory and institutional leadership theory. A conceptual framework was developed, which was used in the study and depicts the interrelationship between the study variables. The independent variables were transactional leadership style, transformational leadership style, servant leadership style, and laissez-faire leadership style. The dependent variable was competency development in the Junior School learning Institutions in Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive, exploratory, and correlational research design. The study population was 750 respondents made up of two Heads of Institutions and two senior teachers at Junior School in all the 47 Counties in Kenya. The study population was justified because the Heads of Institutions and Senior Teachers were the ones mandated to carry out leadership and decision-making in the school governance system in Kenya. The study used primary data, which was collected using questionnaires. The study used questionnaires that were both open and closed-ended. Descriptive statistics involved computation of mean scores, standard deviation, percentages, cross tabulation, and frequency distribution, which described the demographic characteristics of the organization and the respondents. To draw conclusions on the relationship among the variables, the study tested the hypotheses by use of regression models at the 0.05 level of significance. The results indicated that leadership styles (transactional, transformational, servant, and laissez-faire) variables explain 65.9% of the variations in competency development in the junior schools’ institutions. Overall, the study concluded that leadership styles (transactional, transformational, servant, and laissez-faire) had a positive contribution to competency development in Junior School learning Institutions in Kenya. Specifically, the study established that the transformational leadership style made the most positive contribution among the independent variables investigated. This study addresses the existing knowledge gap by determining the relationship between leadership styles and competency development in Junior School learning Institutions in Kenya, which is not direct but rather through the adopted leadership styles of transactional, transformational, servant, and laissez-faire leadership styles. The findings of this study, therefore, have implications for theory, practice, and policy.
School Governance and Sustainable Quality Education in Public Schools in Kenya
School governance plays a critical role in shaping the sustainable quality education in public schools in Kenya. Governance at the school level involves decision-making processes, policy formulation and implementation, and prudent utilization of resources. A well-structured governance in schools leads to the achievement of infrastructural development as well as improvement in learners' learning outcomes. However, the sustainable quality education has fluctuated over time under various levels of leadership in the education sector, including school management. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of school governance on the sustainable quality education in public schools in Kenya. The objectives of the study included: determining the influence of transparency, accountability, stakeholders’ engagement, and inclusivity on sustainable quality education in public schools. The study was anchored on the systems theory. Document analysis and qualitative methods were adopted. Qualitative analysis involved thematic analysis of recurring issues relating to school governance and sustainable quality education. The study revealed that public schools had significantly experienced challenges relating to school governance practices, which included transparency, accountability, stakeholders' engagement, and inclusivity, in the management of schools, thereby affecting sustainable quality education. The study also showed that governance principles needed to be integrated into their school management practice to address sustainable quality education in public schools. The study recommended capacity-building for school leaders to strengthen good governance practices in public schools in Kenya.
Empirical Analysis of The Relationship Between Schools’ Alternative Financing Models And Quality of education In Basic Institutions in Kenya
Quality education is a key pillar of national development, particularly at the basic education level, which provides the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for the growth of young individuals. In Kenya, the right to quality education is enshrined in the Basic Education Act of 2013 and related policy documents. However, education financing in Kenya continues to face significant challenges, such as insufficient budget allocations, inefficiency in resource utilization, over-reliance on donor funding, inconsistent policy execution, and financial mismanagement. School leadership plays a pivotal role in addressing these challenges by promoting sustainable and inclusive financing strategies. This study explored the relationship between alternative funding models and the quality of education in Basic Education institutions in Kenya. Drawing on the Theory of Change typology and Resource Dependence Theory, the study examines how alternative financing models, beyond capitation grants, affect the quality of education in basic education institutions. Specifically, it analyses the relationship between income-generating activities, public-private partnerships, and community-driven financing models on educational quality. The findings suggest that these alternative financing models positively contribute to improving education quality, but their success is contingent upon well-structured and policy-driven implementation. The study recommends the adoption of these financing models to supplement capitation grants to ensure the delivery of quality education, which is essential for Kenya’s national development. Further, the study recommended that Kenya should build a sustainable education financing framework that aligns with the national education and the global education goals, such as Sustainable Development Goal 4, which advocates for quality education for all
Gender-Responsive Leadership and The Participation Of Female Teachers in Leadership Roles in Primary and Secondary Schools in Kenya
Gender-Responsive School Leadership is essential for promoting gender equity and inclusivity in educational leadership. Despite Kenya’s progressive legal frameworks, such as the Two-Thirds Gender Rule and other gender equity policies, female teachers remain underrepresented in school leadership roles. This underrepresentation is attributed to socio-cultural stereotypes, institutional barriers, limited mentorship, weak policy advocacy, and discriminatory recruitment practices. This study adopted a Systematic Literature Review approach to examine how gender responsive leadership has impacted female teachers' participation in school leadership through gender policies advocacy, identification of challenges they face, and strategies for promoting equity. The findings revealed that while gender policies exist, their implementation is weak due to institutional resistance and persistent societal beliefs that associate leadership with masculinity. Female teachers often encounter work-life balance challenges, gendered career progression, and exclusion from professional mentorship networks, factors that collectively discourage or limit their access to leadership positions. To address these issues, the study recommends strategies such as policy advocacy, leadership training, structured mentorship programs, enforcement of gender policies, and institutional reforms. Additional proposals include developing gender-responsive recruitment processes, supporting professional development, and promoting a cultural shift towards inclusivity in leadership. Anchored in Transformational Leadership Theory, the study argues that visionary, inclusive, and empowering leadership is key to advancing gender equity. It concludes that increasing female participation in school leadership in Kenya requires systemic reform, effective policy implementation, and institutional support. These efforts are crucial to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4, which advocates for inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Change-Oriented Leadership Behaviour and Management of Curriculum Changes in Lower Secondary Schools in Uganda
This study critically examined the effect of headteachers’ change-oriented leadership behaviors in managing curriculum changes in secondary schools within Uganda’s Karamoja sub-region, a challenging educational environment. Adopting a pragmatic paradigm, the study utilized a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches. Grounded in Path-Goal Leadership Theory, the research addressed three objectives: (i) evaluating the current status of headteachers’ change-oriented leadership practices, (ii) assessing the extent of curriculum change management, and (iii) determining the effect of such leadership behaviors on curriculum management. Data were collected from 23 secondary schools using self-administered questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. A stratified purposive sample of 247 participants included Ministry of Education officials, headteachers, deputy headteachers, directors of studies, and teachers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (linear regression), while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Results revealed that headteachers’ change-oriented leadership behaviors emphasizing vision-setting, stakeholder empowerment, and adaptive problem-solving explained 16.3% of the variance in effective curriculum change management (adjusted R² = 0.163, p < .001). Qualitative insights highlighted collaborative decision-making and innovation as crucial for navigating reforms. However, institutional rigidity and bureaucratic inertia emerged as persistent barriers. The study concluded that despite a significant positive relationship, the moderate effect size (16.3%) indicated a need for complementary strategies. Recommendations prioritize institutional reforms, including targeted professional development programs to cultivate change-oriented competencies among school leaders. Concurrently, schools should adopt flexible organizational structures that democratize curriculum planning and incentivize teacher participation. These findings contribute to global discourses on educational leadership in resource-constrained settings, advocating for context-sensitive models.
Influence of School Leaders’ Instructional practices on Students’ Academic Achievement in Public Schools in Kenya.
The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of school leaders’ instructional leadership practices on students’ academic achievement in public schools in Kenya. This study is based on a systematic literature review analysis approach focusing on the three variables for instructional practices: availability of teaching and learning resources; instructional supervision and parental empowerment and engagement. The study underscores enhancing school leaders’ instructional skills to improve teaching quality and student outcomes. The findings indicate that availability of teaching and learning resources, effective instructional supervision, and active parental involvement significantly enhance students’ academic achievement. Results demonstrated that school leaders' instructional practices with clearly defined shared expectations all yield a statistically significant effect on students’ academic performance. The study noted that allocation and use of teaching and learning resources significantly improve student learning outcomes by fostering engagement, motivation, and deeper understanding. Effective instructional supervision helps teachers refine their skills, implement effective strategies, and ultimately contribute to improved student performance. School leaders can create partnerships with parents and the community to support student learning both inside and outside the classroom. By actively engaging parents, schools can foster a supportive ecosystem that improves attendance, promotes positive behavior, and enhances student learning. Instructional practices are powerful tools for school improvement. By actively engaging in the instructional process, school leaders can create a positive learning environment, enhance teaching quality, and ultimately improve student academic performance.
instructional supervision and parental empowerment and engagement