Effect of Secondary School Principals’ Transfer on Teachers’ Perception of School Climate in Narok East Sub County, Kenya

Abstract

Principals’ transfers have received mixed reactions from teachers, parents and other stakeholders in various schools. Previous studies have noted mixed results in relation to these transfers because they have always exhibited both positive and negative effects that have affected the overall school climate. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of secondary school principals’ transfer on teachers’ perception of the school climate in public secondary schools in Narok East Sub County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to: assess the effect of principals of voluntary transfer of principal on the school climate, examine the effect of involuntary transfer of principals on the school climate, and identify potential coping strategies after principals’ transfer to enhance the school climate in public secondary schools in Narok East sub county. The study adopted a mixed method research design. The study targeted a total of 197 teachers and 14 principles in the 14 secondary schools in Narok East sub county. The study used both primary and secondary data which were collected using a questionnaire and an interview guide. The questionnaire was designed to collect data from principals and teachers. The data was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Based on the analysis the results show that principals transfer has an effect on the school climate. Majority of the respondents indicated that both voluntary and involuntary transfer of teachers affected the school climate in terms of collegiality, performance, moral and satisfaction of the teachers and also the way the transition was done. The results further indicated that aspects as proper planning, proper communication, involvement of the teachers and an effective transition team all could influence the effect of the transfer in the school climate. Based on the results the study concludes that proper planning plays a very important role in ensuring effectiveness in the transfer of the principals. The study is expected to offer important insights into the impacts of principal transfers and suggest effective strategies for minimizing any adverse effects on the school environment. The results have potential benefits for education administrators, policy-makers, and researchers interested in educational leadership and school climate.