Influence of School Management Strategies on Students' Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in Rwamagana District, Rwanda
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53983/ijmds.v15n06.002Keywords:
school management strategies, academic performance, goal setting, resource management, professional development, leadership, monitoring and evaluation, Rwanda, RwamaganaAbstract
This study examined the influence of school management strategies on students' academic performance in secondary schools in Rwamagana District, Rwanda. Guided by three specific objectives assessing the influence of school goal setting on student performance, evaluating the role of school resource management on student attendance, and establishing the relationship between school management strategies and academic performance the study adopted a descriptive quantitative research design. A sample of 153 teachers was selected from the target population of 247 using Slovin's formula and simple random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression via SPSS Version 23. Findings showed that goal setting (β = 0.820), monitoring and evaluation (β = 0.730), resource management (β = 0.538), professional development (β = 0.414), and leadership style (β = 0.134) all significantly influenced academic performance (p < 0.001). The combined model explained 31.7% of variance in academic outcomes (R = 0.563, R² = 0.317, F = 3.071, p = 0.013). Goal setting and monitoring and evaluation emerged as the strongest predictors. The study concludes that effective school management is a critical but not exclusive determinant of academic performance, and recommends strengthening goal-setting practices, improving resource allocation, enhancing teacher professional development, and reinforcing monitoring systems in secondary schools.
References
[1] Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2018). Transformational leadership (2nd ed.). Routledge.
[2] Bush, T. (2021). Theories of educational leadership and management (5th ed.). Sage Publications.
[3] Bush, T., & Glover, D. (2020). School leadership and management in education. Sage Publications.
[4] Cole, G. A. (2024). Management theory and practice (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
[5] Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute.
[6] Day, C., Gu, Q., & Sammons, P. (2021). The impact of leadership on student outcomes: How successful school leaders use transformational and instructional strategies. Educational Administration Quarterly, 57(2), 251–287.
[7] Hallinger, P., & Heck, R. H. (2018). Collaborative leadership and school improvement: Understanding the impact on distributed leadership. School Leadership & Management, 38(2), 1–20.
[8] Hallinger, P., & Kulophas, D. (2022). School leadership and educational effectiveness: A review of recent evidence. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 50(4), 567–586.
[9] Hallinger, P., & Wang, W. C. (2021). Developing instructional leadership in schools: Evidence from international research. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 49(4), 581–602.
[10] Hanushek, E. A. (2020). Education production functions, school resources, and the economics of education. Annual Review of Economics, 12, 245–272.
[11] Hoy, W. K., & Miskel, C. G. (2021). Educational administration: Theory, research, and practice (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
[12] Leithwood, K., & Jantzi, D. (2016). Transformational school leadership and student achievement: A meta-analysis. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 15(2), 178–204.
[13] Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22.
[14] Leithwood, K., & Sun, J. (2018). The nature and effects of transformational school leadership: A meta-analytic review. Educational Administration Quarterly, 48(3), 387–423.
[15] Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2019). The development of goal setting theory: A half century retrospective. Motivation Science, 5(2), 93–105.
[16] Marsh, J. A., Bertrand, M., & Huguet, A. (2015). Using data to alter instructional practice: The mediating role of coaches and professional learning communities. Teachers College Record, 117(4), 1–40.
[17] Mestry, R. (2022). Resource management and school effectiveness in African secondary schools. South African Journal of Education, 42(1), 1–12.
[18] MINEDUC. (2017). Education sector strategic plan 2018–2024. Ministry of Education, Kigali, Rwanda.
[19] MINEDUC. (2021). Annual school management report. Ministry of Education, Kigali, Rwanda.
[20] Muryango, J., & Mugisha, P. (2022). School leadership practices and academic performance in secondary schools in Rwanda. Rwanda Journal of Education, 6(2), 45–58.
[21] National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA). (2023). Annual report on national examination performance in Rwanda. Kigali: NESA.
[22] Nguyen, T., & Tran, H. (2023). Educational leadership and school performance in developing countries: Challenges and opportunities. International Journal of Educational Development, 95, 102679.
[23] Nsubuga, Y. K., & Ssekamwa, J. C. (2023). School management practices and students' academic achievement in East Africa. African Educational Research Journal, 11(2), 156–168.
[24] Oduro, G. K. T., & MacBeath, J. (2020). Leadership for school improvement in Africa: Current perspectives and challenges. International Studies in Educational Administration, 48(3), 25–40.
[25] OECD. (2022). PISA 2022 results: What students know and can do. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
[26] Psacharopoulos, G., & Patrinos, H. A. (2020). Returns to investment in education: A global update. Education Economics, 28(5), 445–458.
[27] Robinson, V. M. J. (2017). School leadership and student outcomes: Identifying what works and why. Educational Administration Quarterly, 53(4), 645–671.
[28] Robinson, V. M. J., Lloyd, C., & Rowe, K. (2019). The impact of leadership on student outcomes: An analysis of the differential effects of leadership types. Educational Administration Quarterly, 44(5), 635–674.
[29] UNESCO. (2018). Global education monitoring report: Accountability in education. UNESCO Publishing.
[30] Uwimana, J., & Nkurunziza, P. (2024). Strategic management practices and academic performance in Rwandan secondary schools. Journal of African Educational Management, 9(1), 21–39.
[31] Uwizeyimana, E., & Nsabimana, A. (2024). Influence of school management practices on academic performance in public secondary schools in Rwanda. International Journal of Educational Research and Development, 13(1), 32–44.
[32] Waweru, P. N., & Orodho, J. A. (2021). School management strategies and students' academic performance in public secondary schools. Journal of Educational Policy and Entrepreneurial Research, 8(4), 74–88.
