Teacher performance contracting and student outcomes: An analysis of the comprehensive learning environment in public primary schools in Kakamega County, Kenya

Abstract

The pursuit of quality education is a global imperative, leading governments to adopt various performance management systems within the public sector. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in Kenya put the Performance Contract (PC) policy into effect in 2012 through the Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) tool. This was done to improve teacher performance and accountability. A key component of this framework is the creation of a Comprehensive Learning Environment (CLE), aimed at fostering child-friendly schools. However, over a decade after its implementation, empirical evidence remains scarce and inconclusive regarding the direct impact of teacher achievement in this specific PC target on tangible pupil learning outcomes. This study investigated the effect of teachers' achievement in the PC target for the comprehensive learning environment on three critical pupils’ learning outcomes—academic achievement (measured by KCPE scores), retention rates, and completion rates—in public primary schools in Kakamega County. This research is based on the tenets of New Public Management (NPM) theory. A correlation research design with a concurrent mixed-methods approach was employed. Through multistage random sampling, 82 schools were selected from the county's 13 sub-counties. Quantitative data were collected via structured questionnaires from head teachers and teachers, covering the six-year period from 2018 to 2023. This evidence was supplemented by qualitative data from in-depth interviews with five key informants, including TSC officials and curriculum support officers. Quantitative data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression, while thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data. The results revealed weak and statistically non-significant associations between comprehensive learning environment target achievement and KCPE performance (r=0.295; p=0.540), retention rates (r=0.630; p=0.180), and completion rates (r=0.326; p=0.528). Subsequent regression models confirmed that the CLE target was not a significant predictor of any of the learning outcomes (p>0.05), explaining only a minimal portion of their variance. Qualitative insights indicated that the PC appraisal process was frequently regarded as a bureaucratic formality, with significant resource limitations, teacher shortages, excessive workloads, and the constraints of the TPAD tool recognized as principal obstacles to achieving an effective learning environment. The study concludes that, within the context of Kakamega County's public primary schools, teacher achievement in the comprehensive learning environment performance target, as currently implemented and measured, has no statistically significant effect on pupil learning outcomes. The study strongly recommends that the government and the TSC move beyond policy formulation to ensure the adequate provision of physical, financial, and human resources necessary for the effective implementation of the CLE. The study also advises a critical review of the TPAD tool to make it more holistic, context-sensitive, and practical. Future research should explore the effect of this target on broader learning outcomes such as pupils' communication skills, creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities.