INFLUENCE OF APPRAISAL OF TEACHERS’ ADHERENCE TO NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS ON TEACHER PRODUCTIVITY IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MAKEUNI COUNTY, KENYA

Appraisal of teachers’ ability to adhere to the national professional standards plays a significant role in ensuring their productivity in schools. However, in Makueni County, teacher productivity in public secondary schools is low. This study assessed the influence of appraisal of teachers’ adherence to national professional standards on teacher productivity in public secondary schools in Makueni County, Kenya. A mixed methodology and concurrent triangulation research design were adopted. The target population comprised 393 principals and 3420 teachers from the 393 public secondary schools in Makueni County totaling 3813 respondents from which a sample of 362 respondents was calculated using Yamane’s Formula. Stratified sampling was used to select all public secondary schools in all the nine sub-counties in Makueni County. From each sub-county, at least four schools were selected using simple random sampling. Simple random sampling was applied to select 39 principals considering schools that have registered high and low academic grades for the last five years. A total of 323 teachers were selected using a simple random method. A questionnaire was used to collect data from teachers whereas interview guides were used to gather qualitative data from principals. Data analysis began by identifying common themes. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically based on study objectives and presented in narrative forms. Quantitative data were analyzed inferentially using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (Version 27) and presented using tables. The study of the levels of appraisal of teachers' adherence to national professional standards is not satisfactory to occasion improved productivity among teachers. The study recommends that principals should encourage teachers to understand different legal requirements in education, pursue further training, and have an inkling of all requirements of classroom pedagogy. This will go a long way in enhancing their professional acumen necessary for higher productivity.  Article visualizations: