Abstract:
School management is a complex process that requires committed and visionary leadership. A school principal is charged with the responsibility of managing school physical facilities, staff personnel, school finance, the curriculum, students and school-community relations. The major problem addressed by this study is that of lack of adequate training for principals to effectively carry out these managerial functions. The study sought to find out whether principals receive any training on project management, and whether such training has any influence on effectiveness of principals in school management. The research design adopted in the study is the descriptive survey. The sample for the study constituted 20 public secondary school principals in Kirinyaga District, Kenya. The study utilized a questionnaire and an observation schedule for data collection. The study established that training plays a significant role in project management performance. The principal can be looked at as a project manager, one who is expected to plan, implement, manage, maintain and evaluate the entire education system: physical facilities, human resource, students, financial inputs and the curriculum. As such, there is need for adequate preparation of school heads in project management.
