THE EFFECT OF SCHOOL GOVERNANCE AND CURRICULUM MANAGEMENT TRAINING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF HEAD TEACHERS IN MANAGING PRIMARY SCHOOLS

This study investigated the effect of training in school governance and curriculum management on the performance of head teachers in managing public primary schools in the Greater Masaka Region of Uganda. The study was driven by the public outcry over the deteriorating standards of primary education in the region despite Government efforts to improve the managerial performance of school heads. The researchers employed a descriptive, cross-sectional sample survey research design. Data were collected with the use of survey and interview methods from 234 head teachers, 364 teachers, 19 center coordinating tutors, six district education officers and six inspectors of schools selected through purposive and stratified random sampling techniques. The data were analyzed with the use of appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques as well as content analysis methods. Study results revealed a significant difference in the performance of trained and untrained head teachers: the trained ones managed schools better than their untrained counter-parts. Second, training in school governance and curriculum management had weaknesses in its curriculum and delivery. Finally, training in school governance (p=0.044<.05), and curriculum management (p=0.044<.05) were found to have a significant positive effect on the performance of head teachers in managing public primary schools. The researchers thus concluded that the training in school governance and curriculum management was largely effective in improving the managerial performance of head teachers in primary schools, other factors notwithstanding. It was thus recommended that the Government of Uganda should continue training head teachers in school governance and curriculum management, strengthen their training curriculum, and make such training opportunities more accessible to many teachers. This would enable head teachers to improve their performance as well as that of their teachers and pupils