Management of School Resources and the Learning Outcomes in Junior Schools in Turkana County, Kenya

Management of school resources plays an important role in influencing the learning outcomes of the junior schools in Turkana County. These resources are the basic requirements that need to be availed to make the teaching and learning process effective and beneficial to learners’ achievement of the envisioned competencies that define the learning outcome. And therefore, management aspect of the teaching and learning resources mark a critical element for student success in their studies. This research investigated school resource management and their effects on learning outcomes during CBE implementation in junior schools across Turkana County, Kenya. The study pursued four main objectives. First, it examined the relationship between physical infrastructure management and how it influences learning outcomes in CBE junior schools within Turkana County. Second, it evaluated the relationship between teacher management and the effects on CBE learning outcomes in junior schools. Third, it explored relationship between management of instructional material and the learning outcome under the CBE framework in junior schools in Turkana County. Fourth, the study sought to identify the management of financial resources and the learning outcomes in junior schools in Turkana County. Based on the Scientific Management Theory the study adopted a theoretical framework, offering insights into implementation of CBE in junior schools vis-à-vis the management of resources necessary and philosophical foundations underlying CBE adoption in junior school education in Kenya. The research employed mixed methodology, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches to control for data biases and outliers. From a target population of 1,706, a sample size of 208 was selected using probability sampling techniques and categorized the samples as 11 Sub- County Directors of Education, 23 heads of junior schools and 174 teachers of junior schools. Data collection involved interview schedules of SCDE, observation guides, structured and semi-structured questionnaires for primary data, while secondary data came from document analysis of school records. Analysis utilized SPSS Version 25, applying both descriptive statistics (means, frequencies, percentages) and inferential methods (correlation and regression analysis). The findings indicated that management of school resources indeed plays a key role in influencing the learning outcome with all of the variables giving statistical significance confirming their independent contributions to learning outcomes. The research conclude that management od school resources complements the teaching and learning process in order to influence CBE learning outcomes in junior schools in Turkana County. This conclusion validates the theoretical framework of educational institutions as complex systems requiring a management approach to teaching and learning resource and their relationship with student learning outcomes in junior schools, providing insights crucial for effective Competency-Based Education implementation. Therefore, the study recommends that all heads of institutions and Education officers must undergo management courses to equip them with skills in managing school resources and being innovative in resource-constrained environment such as Turkana County.