Influence of Methods of Prefects’ Selection and Duties on Academic Performance: A Case of Nyandarua Central District

Abstract

The central problem of this study was to find out whether academic performance of prefects is affected by prefectship. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing academic performance in selected public secondary schools in Kenya and Nyandarua central district in particular. The study was based on Luthans (2005) Leadership Theory that prefectship is more of behavior than personality as theoretical framework and does not affect academic performance of prefects. The objectives of the study included; to establish the methods of prefects’ selection in the public secondary schools in the district; to investigate how type of duties performed by prefects affected their academic performance. The study targeted 12 out of 17 secondary schools in the district. To come up with this sample size, purposive sampling technique and simple random techniques were used whereby a total of 259 respondents were involved. Spearman Brown Split Half Method and Likert scale were utilized to score questionnaire items and interview schedules, administration of the tools was done once on even and odd numbered items, paired scores were used to calculate Spearman rank correlation. A coefficient of 0.8571 for teachers and 0.8570 for prefects was considered sufficient to judge reliability of the instruments. Purposive sampling was used to reach all public secondary schools under research and deputy head teachers since it is used with small number of individuals or institutions. Data collected was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, data analysis was done using tables, frequencies and percentages that were collected from respondents of the study. The major findings of the study were that prefect ship does not affect academic performance and that schools allowed students to elect prefects of their choice. The study concluded that students should be allowed to become prefects because academic performance is not affected by prefectship.