Influence of Teacher Participation in Decision-Making on Job Motivation in Public Secondary Schools in Nyeri, Nairobi and Kajiado Counties, Kenya

Abstract

The extent to which teachers participate in decision-making is a determining factor on their job motivation. The way principals relate with teachers is important in management of schools. Shared governance is identical to participative decisionmaking and it affects the stability of the school. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of secondary school teachers‘ participation in decision-making on their job motivation in Nyeri, Nairobi and Kajiado counties. Study objectives were to find out the decision-making styles used by principals, examine extent to which secondary school teachers are involved in decision-making, determine the level of teachers job motivation and determine the relationship of teachers participation in decision-making and their job motivation. Shared decision-making theory and motivation-hygiene theory were employed to explain influence of participation decision-making on job motivation. The study used descriptive design which embraced both quantitative and qualitative approach. The target population consisted of 277 principals and 9,108 teachers totaling to 9385. A sample size of 496 respondents comprising of 111 principals and 385 teachers were used in the study. This study population represented 5.3% of the target population. Study schools were stratified, and then random sampling with proportional allocation was employed to select the respondents. A semi structured decision-making questionnaire for teachers and interview guide for principals were used to collect data on participatory decision-making styles and level of motivation. This followed piloting which was done to test the tools and necessary adjustments made to achieve objectives of the study. Cranbach‘s alpha was used to ascertain reliability of instruments while content validity of instruments was determined by specialists in Education Administration. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics which included generating frequencies, percentages, weighted mean. Meanwhile, inferential statistics included independent sample t-test was used to determine the relationship between teacher participation in decision-making and their job motivation levels. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. Finding of the study revealed that public secondary schools in the study Counties practiced participatory decision-making moderately. The dominant common decision-making area that teachers were involved was student‘s affair. The study recommended that teachers should be actively involved in decision-making in their schools and principals should establish collaborative relationship with teachers.