Human Resource Management Practices, and Academic Performance of Secondary Schools in Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

Organizations worldwide primarily exist to achieve specific goals. Academic performance trend in secondary schools in Machakos County has been declining in the recent past (2013-2019) hence the need for the study. The aim of the study was to establish the influence of human resource management practices on academic performance of secondary schools in Machakos County, namely influence of teaching staff recruitment and selection and teaching staff training and development on the academic performance of secondary schools in Machakos County, Kenya. The resource-based theory, universalistic theory and the human capital theory informed this study. The study employed mixed methods research design. The target population was the 413 secondary schools in Machakos County. The school principals were selected as units of observation. The study used primary data that was collected using self-administered semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules. The study found that human resource management practices under study namely teaching staff recruitment and selection, teaching staff training and development, positively and significantly influenced the academic performance of secondary schools in Machakos County.