| dc.description.abstract | Performance in Mathematics in Meru County, Kenya from 2012 to 2016 has consistently been deteriorating. The purpose of this study was an evaluation of how the administrative strategies designed by the principals affected students’ performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in Meru County. Objectives that directed the study were to evaluate the various attributes on student performance in KCSE examination in Meru County. The objective was to evaluate the effects of Principal’s invitation of Mathematics specialists and students’ performance, in mathematics. This study used ex post facto design. The research instrument was Mathematics teachers’ questionnaire, KCSE document analysis for five years in Meru County and Principal’s interview guide. The target population was 299 principals and 836 Mathematics teachers in the County. This study used stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. The sample size was 30% of the total target population translating to 92 principals and 251 Mathematics teachers. Validity was ensured by piloting the instrument. Reliability was ensured by using split half technique. From the findings, majority of Mathematics teachers and principals claimed that they invited Mathematics specialists, team teaching and peer teaching specialists to their schools. However, most of the invitations were done only once a year. Chisquare results showed that invitation of Mathematics specialists (p 0.021), team teaching (p 0.006), peer teaching specialists (p 0.048) and others (p 0.034) all had a significant effects on how students performed. The study recommends that principals should invite more than one Mathematics specialist to their schools to ensure that Mathematics teachers and students are adequately exposed to different kinds of skills and strategies on Mathematics performance in K.C.S.E examination. Principals should also increase the frequency of inviting the external support staff from annually to one or twice per term to ensure that the skills and strategies imparted are reinforced to become a routine practice for the Mathematics teachers and the students. The findings of the study were expected to be useful to the Ministry of Education, teachers and students as well as other stakeholders in the education sector. | en_US |
