TEACHER UNIONS STRATEGIES ENHACING WELFARE BENEFITS FOR

TEACHERS IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF KENYA NATIONAL UNION

OF TEACHERS.

BY

ELIZABETH MOCHECHE ONDIEKI

A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT

OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF BACHELORS DEGREE
EDUCATION IN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN AFRICA
This research is my original work and has not been presented for any degree in any
other university.

ELIZABETH MOCHECHE ONDIEKI DATE :

1040221

Lecturer, Sr. Mutsotso

Department of Language, Literature and Communication, Catholic University.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Declaration
Acknowledgments
Table of contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Abbreviations& Acronyms

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Purpose of the study
1.4 Objectives of the Study
1.5 Research Questions
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Theoretical Framework
1.8 Conceptual Framework
1.9 Definitions of Terms

CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
ABSTRACT
Teachers’ trade unions provide support to teachers through their ability to mobilize
and represent teachers’ interests nationally. Teacher unions seek through collective
negotiation and bargaining with employers to improve benefits of their members. It
is the desire of teachers to benefit from their unions as well as secure protection
against unfair labour practices. This study was carried to investigate Teacher
unions’ strategies enhancing welfare benefits for teachers in Kenya taking the case
of Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).

CHAPTER 1

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The Labour Relations Act of 2007 defines a trade union as an association of
employees whose principle purpose is to regulate relations between employees and
employers, including any employers’ organization. A trade union or a labour union
as they are also referred to, is essentially an organization of workers whose
function is to enable them to act together to enable collective bargaining. However,
under the trade unions Act, a trade union includes both employers and workers
organizations (Odiwuor, 2005).
According to Guthrie (2002) Unions are needed in modern society for a number of
reasons. For instance, executive compensation is usually many, many times that of
the rank-and-file worker; a worker who often is mired in debt. Unions seek to close
the gap between labor and management; both in terms of wages and in
representation or voice. Unions not only help workers, but also benefit employers
by establishing an open channel of communication between labor and
management. Like any other professionals, teachers normally work within systems
where they are supervised, monitored, and guided in their work. Well-functioning
supervision and support systems play a pivotal role in improving the quality and
efficiency of education systems. In most cases the supervision structure includes a
school head teacher or equivalent based at the school, some form of external
inspection and monitoring of schools, and additional oversight from teachers’
unions and local communities (Mulkeen, 2010). Teachers’ labour unions provide
support to teachers through their ability to mobilize and represent teachers’
interests nationally, as well as through their reach out to teachers at the local level
(Mulkeen, 2010). However, unions also engage teachers in other activities,
including policy analysis, participation in the global campaigns for education, and
advocacy for improvements in quality. At the local level, many provide services to
their members, including continuing professional development, access to credit and
in the case of unfair treatment. In this way, teachers’ unions are evolving to
function as both a support for teachers and an accountability check on the
education system (Mundy et al. 2008). Kerchener and Koppich (1993) opine that
an increasing number of teacher unions are beginning to redefine their role in
education reform and restructuring. They argue that these unions have shifted their
focus from traditional industrial concerns to a more prominent focus on
professional issues and school improvement, an aspect they call professional
unionism.
According to the authors, professional unionism departs from traditional unionism
in three ways: first, it accepts that trade unions and management share a common
goal – the improvement of quality in the public sector, secondly, that an adversarial
relationship between management and trade is thus unnecessary and thirdly, that
unions accept a greater role in the evaluation and assessment of the work of
teachers to ensure high standards in education.
In pre independence Kenya, the teachers were subjected to different terms and
conditions of service by the many employers they belonged to. The employers who
included missionaries and local councils never allowed them to meet and exchange
views. This kept them totally ignorant as regards to their rights and therefore were
seriously exploited by their masters. Despite the fact that they were kept in the
dark, they slowly learned the need to form organizations still based on religious
sects organized at provincial level. According to the Kenya National Union of
Teachers website, in 1934, Messrs.
James Gichuru and Eliud Mathu formed a teacher's organization known as Kenya
African Teachers Union (KATU). This Union eventually fizzled away under the
pressure of powers of the time. However, the push for a teachers trade union never
stopped and when in 1955, one of the teacher's leaders from Rift Valley Hon.
Daniel T. Moi now the retired President of the Republic of Kenya was elected to
the Legislative Council (Leg.co.) he pushed for policy implementation of trade
unions and on 14th May 1959 KNUT was officially registered as a Trade Union.
The KNUT is a trade union registered under the trade unions act Cap 233 of the
laws of Kenya. Its mandate is both of a trade union and professional organization
that serves all Kenyan teachers who choose to join and as such recognizes the need
to anchor our operations on certain key principles and values. KNUT was formed
on seven policy demands: A single Employer for all teachers, Unified Terms and
Conditions of Service, Free Pension for all teachers, Provision for negotiating
machinery, Pay rise for all teachers in all grades, responsibility allowance for all
posts of responsibility and abolition of the Colonial Code of Discipline (KNUT,
2013). These policy demands still stand to date. In 1998, another teacher’s union
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) was registered to
respond to challenges of sectorial representation among teachers. It was launched
at a time when both secondary and college tutors were yearning for a forum to
voice their concerns. The birth of KUPPET was a culmination of a long struggle
between the post primary teachers and government in regard to a platform which
would truly represent their aspirations, hopes and fears (KUPPET, 2013).
In Kenya, teachers are represented by three teacher unions in the education sector
namely, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya Union of Post
Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and University Academic Staff Union
(UASU) for lecturers in public universities. The Kenya National Union of Teacher
(KNUT) is a teachers’ trade union registered under the trade unions act Cap 233 of
the Laws of Kenya. It represents both primary school and secondary school
teachers. The mandate of KNUT is to secure, protect, and enhance the welfare of
their members and to advocate for education professionalism and development in
the Country (KNUT 2015). It also aims to secure and maintain unified and better
terms and conditions of employment and service for all teachers in Kenya (KNUT
(2015). According to the outline in KNUT’s strategic Plan (2015- 2019) the aims
and objectives of the Union are contained in Article II of its Constitution. They are
summarized into five functional areas, namely; to unite teachers of all grades, to
secure improved terms and condition of service for teachers and to protect their
interests as workers. Other functions include promoting Programmes that are
aimed at improving teachers’ welfare and socio-economic well-being, to contribute
to professional work in teaching and development of education services in Kenya
(KNUT 2015). This study sets to explore the teacher welfare benefits provided by
the KNUT.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Provision of welfare benefits for teachers is an important element for improving

the commitment of the teacher in teaching. Welfare benefits entails providing
personal needs of the teacher that can motivate the teacher to actively participate in
the process of teaching. For a long time, teachers in Kenya have been
disadvantaged when they face their employers as individuals. Over the years
teachers in Kenya have come up together in seeking for solution to their common
welfare challenges by forming teacher unions through which they can pull their
efforts and develop themselves through the union and also task the union to fight
for securing welfare benefits from their employer. Through such concerted efforts
teacher unions have been able to negotiate for better salaries, allowances,
promotions and other conditions of service. Despite these positive efforts of the
teacher unions, the teacher employer in Kenya has sometimes accused teacher
unions of making the work of the employer difficult by their demand for higher
remuneration and other benefits. Teachers have persistently been frustrated by the
employer by not honoring their collective bargaining agreements. As a remedy the
unions have come up with strategies within the union itself and through collective
bargaining which can benefit their members. This study explores these benefits
provided by the unions to teachers.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study was to investigate Teacher Union strategies enhancing
welfare benefits for teachers in Kenya in reference to Kenya National Union of
Teachers (KNUT).
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this study were:
1) To investigate KNUT strategies enhancing welfare benefits for teachers in
Kenya.

1.4 QUESTIONS OF THE STUDY

The study sought to answer the following research questions;
1.Which is the existing KNUT socio-economic welfare Programmes in Kenya.
2. What is the level of teachers' knowledge of the existence of socio-economic
welfare Programmes within Kenya.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study could benefit the KNUT, teachers and the community In the following
ways.
• The KNUT, which is charged with the responsibility of enhancing the welfare of
its member teachers, could benefit by gaining data on how it is performing on
this role. The study will point to the weaknesses, if any, in the socio-economic
welfare arm of KNUT and suggest measures for dealing with such weaknesses.
The study will also profile teachers who contribute to the welfare Programmes,
and this could be of benefit to the KNUT in planning and executing future
recruitment drives for membership to the Programmes.
• To the teachers, the study could be of use in that it will establish the benefits
gained by those teachers who make contributions towards the KNUT's
socioeconomic welfare Programmes, and therefore act as a guide for teachers to
make
wise decisions on whether to join or not join the welfare Programmes.
• The study findings could also be used by other trade unions who wish to engage
in or improve existing socio-economic welfare Programmes.
• Finally, the study will add to the existing body of knowledge on the functions of
trade unions and their impacts on job performance especially in the education
sector.

1.6 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

The study focused on only one particular stakeholder in provision of education, the
teacher unions which may have glossed over the participation of other interest
groups in education. Some union officials were hesitant to cooperate for the fear of
bureaucracy associated with large corporate bodies like the union. The researcher
sought a letter of permission to interview them from KNUT headquarters and
presented it to them and assured them that the findings of the study was to be used
for purposes of the research only

1.7 THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

Teachers’ unions are formed to protect and advance the collective interest of
teachers as well to assist in the professional development of their members. The
process of improving and increasing capabilities of working personal through
access to education and training opportunities in the workplace is professional
development (Zepeda, 2013). Similarly, the union helps to build and maintain the
efficiency in the working field. Moreover, it enhances the competency of
employees in their professional life. Professional development is deemed necessary
for university teachers at all levels, as it helps to enhance teaching quality
(Wichadee, 2012). It shows that the professional development programs organized
by the union is more helpful to enhance the professional capacity of the workers in
teaching and in research and publication. The needs of the university teacher for
professional development are different according to their stages of working
periods. The newly appointed teachers need subject content and instructional
strategies consistent with their assignments, mentoring, and skills in mapping the
curriculum; mid-career teachers need training on inclusive classrooms,
opportunities for cooperative work, and career counseling; and the experienced
teachers need challenges for renewal, mentoring in communications technology
and student assessment, and opportunities for promotions (Hinds, 2007). It reflects
that there is variability of needs for professional development among the university
teachers according to their stages of working periods. Teacher's professional
development produces teachers at the outset; they are then forced to become
efficient teachers so that they can survive with their profession. They are
compelled to form their union (association), which can keep, promote and
disseminate recent knowledge of their profession from time to time (Holcombe,
2006). The emergence of teachers’ unions in Nepal is related to raising their voice
to protect their profession and bring the political change in the country. Besides,
they are united to guarantee the professional security and professional development
of the teachers. Professional development of teacher is correlated to the teacher’s
own interest and the institution where s/he works. Teachers want to upgrade their
position in the institution as well as enhance their working efficiency. It is possible
only through research and different research-based programs like workshop,
seminar, orientation programs for new knowledge and ideas for development in the
academic field. Moreover, they are interested in adding to their professional
knowledge and keeping up to date with relevant theory and practice in the working
field. Richard, (2005) argues that "professional development of teacher is directed
toward institution's goal and the teacher's own personal goals" (p. 75). Normally,
institutional goals are directed to quality enhancement of educational institutions.
Personal goals of teacher are to upgrade the academic status, enhance the
knowledge and update on the current affairs to increase the teaching efficiency and
the research capacity. Effective professional development of teachers is an on-
going process that includes training, practice and feedback, and provides adequate
time and follow-up support. Furthermore, successful programs involve teachers in
learning activities with their students, and encourage them to learn new knowledge
and ideas that can be used in the class room and in the field of research and
publication. In this regard teachers’ unions can play a key role for professional
development of teachers by cooperation and coordination with institutions where
they work. Moreover, leaders of teachers’ union have a great opportunity for their
professional development. They are directly associated with the different academic
activities and programs of educational institutions through which they can enhance
their working efficiency in their working field. Besides, they advocate such
programs which are integrally associated with the professional development of
their members to the authoritative agency of educational institution (Rosen, 2014).
Different programs related to the professional development of teachers are
designed and implemented. These programs are highly influenced by the
educational policy of the educational institutions. So, policy provision of
universities is also associated with the professional development of teachers.
Educational policy is also related to the professional development of teacher in the
universities. So, the teachers’ unions are also involved in the educational policy
making process. They try to address the professional development desire of
teachers through policy interference in the educational institutions. Moreover,
teachers’ unions are engaged in both unitiarism and professionalism. So, the roles
of teacher unions are not confined to the traditional functions of improved working
and living conditions, but expand to include participation in education policy
(Barber, 1996 as cited by Kuduko, 2011). It is because of these two interrelated
functions that trade union leaders can play the crucial role for the professional
development of their members. Similarly, the teachers’ unions play a key role in
efficiency enhancement of the teachers in their working field through different
academic works such as publications, assistance on academic degree and creating
academic environment for the members. This has been primarily through their
effect on the professionalization of the teaching profession. Through different
publications, courses, and leadership opportunities, the unions have positively
contributed to instruction and teachers' sense of purpose. (Ginding & Finger,
2014). These activities assist in the professional development of teachers. The
efficiency enhancement of teachers is inherently connected with the quality of
teachers. The quality of teacher is integrally connected with their various academic
activities such as publication, training, workshop for their efficacy heightening.
Furthermore, high quality is inevitable for the professional development. Hence,
the teachers’ unions examine the teacher quality issue that the union seeks to
address. The union's responsibility is to improve teaching quality, come up with
the policies or programs to improve teaching, provide assistance to new or
floundering teachers, the effect of peer review programs, entry-level standards for
teachers, and the role of tenure laws in ensuring teacher quality (Tabata, & Griek,
1999). Similarly, researchinformed practice, responsibility for educational quality
and professional ethics of teacher is also integrated with the professional
development of teachers. The teachers’ union is adopting an increasingly more
active approach, thereby challenging the idea that the teacher union is less
interested in developing and taking responsibility for the quality of education
(Mausethagen, & Granlund, 2012). Quality of education is also associated with the
job satisfaction of the teachers (Crawford, 2017). Job satisfaction is linked with the
professional development. So, the protection of job is the responsibility of the
teachers’ union that also assist in the professional development. Specifically,
members of unions believe about the union's role in job protection. If the unions
are able to protect the job of their members in the educational institutions, the path
of the professional development will open (Popiel, 2013). Hence, from the safety
of job in the educational institutions to updating the teachers with the recent
development, the road of the professional development is prepared for teachers.
However, all studies have not revealed the positive role of teachers’ union in the
educational institutions as well as in the professional development of their
members. Some studies explore the non-productive and non-academic role of the
teachers’ union as well. By concentrating on political activities and job security,
seniority, and pay, teachers unions have lost the goodwill of many new teachers, as
well as the general public. Hence, teacher unions need to change their positions on
teacher appraisal, staffing, and tenure if they are to survive (Toch, 2010). It
sightsees that teacher unions are more interested on increasing the salary and
allowances as well as recruitment rather than academic activities to enhance the
professional development of their members. But, in my experience, as well as the
previous studies have explored the crucial role of the teacher unions in the
professional development of teachers. The programs and activities conducted by
teachers’ union for the professional development of teachers are not explored
specifically in the previous studies reviewed here. Moreover, the studies did not
focus on the specific practices adapted by the teachers’ unions for the professional
development of university teachers. Similarly, I did not find any study concerned
on the role of teachers’ union in the Nepali universities for professional
development of teachers. So, this paper bridges such gap by exploring the specific
practices adapted by the teachers’ union in the professional development of
teachers in Nepali public universities.

1.8 CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK

The study sought to establish the strategies enhancing welfare benefits for teachers
in Kenya.

KNUT Welfare The study adopted the conceptual framework shown

Programmes below:
 Savings and credit
societies
 Children’s education
schemes
 Enterprises and
building projects.
→
Benefits to KNUT
members
 Economic →
 Social
Outcomes
 Improved
work morale
 Improved
work
Failure to
performance
join Welfare
Programmes Outcomes
→  No improved work
morale.
 Poor work
performance

The study, borrowing from social capital theory, argues that the KNUT welfare
Programmes, if well managed, could increase the social capital of teachers. Thus,
those teachers who are members of the welfare Programmes receive both economic
and social benefits such as fellowship, sympathy, and social intercourse with other
members of the Programmes. This in turn results to improved work morale and job
satisfaction for teachers, as it is seen as a prerequisite to belong to the supportive
welfare groups. The end result of this is improved job performance. Failure to join
the welfare Programmes would lead to lack of improvement in work morale and
poor job performance.
-
1.9 DEFINATION OF KEYWORK
Benefits: This refers to the profits or gains that accrue from membership of a given
programme.
Morale is a term used for the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution
or a goal, or even in oneself and others. In this study the term will mean the
capacity for teachers to maintain belief in the teaching profession and as such
be motivated to do their teaching job in the best way possible.
Satisfaction is a positive favorable feeling of pleasure resulting from achieving
what one values.
Socio-economic status: IS a combined measure of an individual's or a family's
economic and social position relative to others, based on income, education,
and occupation.
Teachers' Union: This refers to a trade union formed by teachers, whose aim is to
achieve the common goals of teachers such as the negotiation of wages, work
rules, complaint procedures, rules governing hiring, firing and promotion of
workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies.
Trade Union: is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve
common goals in key areas such as wages, hours, and working conditions,
forming a cartel of labour. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains
with the employer on behalf of union members (rank and file members) and
negotiates labour contracts with employers. This may include the negotiation
of wages, work rules, complaint procedures, rules governing hiring, firing and
promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies.
Welfare: This refers to, wellbeing or quality of life.
KNUT: The Kenya National Union of Teachers.
KUPPET: Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers.
UASU: University Academic Staff Union.
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents a review of Literature related to the study on the benefits of
the Kenya National Union of Teachers' welfare Programmes in Kenya.
The review includes the following:
• Challenges facing teacher unions
• Factors influencing teacher unions
• The roles of teachers unions in welfare promotion
• The KNUT socio-economic welfare Programmes
• Chapter summary
2.2 Challenges facing teacher unions

Teacher unions are formed for reasons of advancing the cause of teachers. Donaldo
(2010) says that teacher unions seek through collective negotiation and bargaining
with employers to protect and improve the real incomes of their members, provide
or improve job security, protect workers against unfair dismissal and other issues
relating to employment and also lobby and advocate for better working conditions.
Unions seek to improve wages and the conditions under which their members are
employed and work. Galor (2002), argues that teacher unions ensure that salaries,
wages and benefits for teachers are standardized and that the union negotiates for
better terms of services. The formation of teacher unions was necessitated by the
desire for the improvement of terms and conditions of service for teachers and to
protect their interests (Kerchner, 2004). The role of teacher unions in providing
welfare needs of the teachers enhance their motivation and also promotes the status
of the teacher has borne great success. The commitment by teacher unions in
maintaining a motivated human resource in the teaching service aims at raising an
effective workforce that can be used as a resource in provision of quality education
in institutions of learning (Mutuku, 2015).Teacher unions motivate teachers in
their work through their ability to mobilize and fight for teachers’ interests. Murillo
(2006) and valiant (2005) posit that teacher unions in bid to promote welfare
benefits for their members have established social welfare benefit programmes for
teachers like credit societies, grants to help teachers pay school fees for their
children and a burial revolving fund to help teachers during bereavement. These
programmes according Reimmers and Reimmers (2006) have a profound effect on
teacher’s morale and their performance in their duty. Johnson and Donaldson
(2006) similarly says that teacher unions secure welfare benefits for teachers like
better pay, good working conditions and protection of rights of teachers which
influence their motivation and commitment to duty. Teachers both in primary
schools and secondary schools in Kenya are represented by the Kenya National
Union of Teachers (KNUT). KNUT is both a trade and a professional organization
for teachers. The mandate of KNUT is to enhance the welfare benefits of its
members (KNUT 2008). The Kenya National Union of teachers has enacted
strategies and programmes to enhance the welfare of its members. It has
implemented economic support schemes in collaboration with other strategic
partners through Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO), Burial
and Benevolent Funds (BBF) and Education fund (EF) (KNUT 2005). The
SACCOs are monetary organizations through which members can secure financial
support, the BBF helps members when they are bereaved and EF is a monetary
scheme that helps members in educating their family members. These programmes
impact directly on the morale of the teachers thus improving their commitment to
duty.

CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
Introduction

The chapter presents the methodology used in the study. It covers the research
design, target population, sample size and sampling procedure, research
instruments, validity of research instruments and reliability of research
instruments, data collection procedures and data analysis techniques and ethical
considerations of the study.

RESEARCH DESIGN
The study used descriptive survey design. The targeted population was 8320
teachers and 9 KNUT officials in Machakos County. Stratified sampling and
simple random sampling were used to select a sample 830 teachers. Purposive
sampling was used to select nine KNUT officials. The study used questionnaire for
teachers and interview guide for KNUT officials as the instruments for the study.
Content validity of the research instruments was ascertained by a through piloting
of the test items while reliability of the questionnaires and the interviews was
ascertained by a test-re-test technique. The data was analyzed by use of SPSS
programme. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data and presented in
frequency tables. Interview guide responses were reported in verbatim.

The study employed descriptive survey design. Descriptive survey design was
selected for this study because it allowed the researcher to describe characteristics
of a particular individual, or group (Kothari, 2004). The research design enabled
researcher to understand the beliefs, the attitudes and perception of the teachers on
the role of KNUT in promoting initiatives that influence provision of quality
education. The study described KNUT’s initiatives influencing provision of quality
education in public primary schools, Machakos County. It was also used by the
researcher to collect both quantitative and qualitative data as was the case for this
study. Descriptive survey involves the process of gaining insights into the general
picture of a situation, by studying variables in their natural set up. In this study,
KNUT’s initiatives in provision of quality education were studied and explained
through questionnaires for teachers and interviews for KNUT officials in their
natural environment at school and at offices for the case of KNUT officials.

TARGET POPULATTION
According to Machakos County education offices (2015), there were 8320 primary
school teachers and 828 primary schools in Machakos County. Records held at
Machakos KNUT County office indicated that there were eight KNUT branch
officials in the county. All the 8320 primary school teachers, 828 primary schools,
eight KNUT branch officials and one national KNUT official formed the target
population for this study.
SAMPLE SIZE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES
Due to the large number of both primary schools and teachers in Machakos
County, ten percent of both the schools and teachers were sampled as
recommended by Gay and Airasian (2003), who suggests that a sample
representation of between ten and twenty percent is adequate representation of a
sample. Ten percent of 8320 teachers were chosen leading to a sample size of 832
teachers. Likewise ten percent of 828 primary schools were selected leading to a
sample size of 83 schools. The schools and teachers were stratified per Sub County
to obtain the number of schools and teachers from which the sample to participate
in the study from each sub county was drawn from. The summary of the target
population and sample size for teachers and primary schools
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Three types of instruments were used to collect data in this study, the questionnaire
for teachers, interview guide for KNUT officials and document analysis guide.
Teachers’ Questionnaire was used to collect data for this study. Questionnaires
enabled efficient use of time since information was collected from a large number
of teachers. The researcher administered closed ended questionnaire items to
teachers. Closed-ended questionnaires were advantageous because they enabled
eliciting specific responses from the respondents (Kasomo, 2006). The
questionnaire had six sections; Section “A”, sourced general demographic
information from the teachers, section “B” gathered information on the influence
of KNUT’s involvement in management of teachers’ welfare on provision of
quality education. Section “C” sourced information on the influence of KNUT’s
involvement in maintenance of teachers’ discipline on provision of quality
education. Section “D” sourced information on the influence of KNUT’s
sensitization programmes on curriculum implementation on provision of quality
education. Section “E” gathered information on influence of KNUT’s involvement
in developing curriculum support materials on provision of quality education.
Finally section “F” gathered information on indicators of quality education in
primary schools. Interview guide for KNUT officials was another data collection
instrument for the study. According Creswell (2007) interviews guide allow the
researcher to engage in conversation with participants through more down-to-earth
questions, while the participants are also allowed to express themselves freely on
their experiences. Interviews were appropriate for this study, because of their
usefulness in generating deep and meaningful insights which revealed new
perspectives on the role played by KNUT in provision of quality education. Such
interviews also provided space to probe some of the responses that made it possible
to obtain detailed and meaningful information. Interviews also allowed the
participants to express themselves freely. The interview guide contained questions
on all the research objectives and were administered to KNUT branch officials in
all the eight KNUT branches in Machakos County and also for one National
KNUT official. Document analysis guide in addition to questionnaire and the
interviews, was another data collection tool for this study. Document analysis
guide served two purposes; firstly, it provided additional information to that
provided by the participants in the questionnaire and during the interviews.
Secondly, in some instances, it corroborated the questionnaire and interview
information. Document analysis guide also served the purpose of triangulating the
data. Crewswell (2007) suggests that attempts should be made to corroborate the
findings from conversations, interviews and questionnaires with other evidence,
hence the combination of questionnaire, interviews and document analysis guide
was necessary for this study. The combination of 50 questionnaires, interviews and
document analysis helped to understand KNUT’s policy framework on provision
of quality education vis-a-vis the critical role KNUT plays in implementation of
the education policy. In this study the documents that were analyzed included;
teacher union reports and resolutions, proceeding reports of some consultative
conferences (Annual Delegates Conference), newspaper articles and books,
journals (The Teacher), KNUT Education Policy Document (2005 and 2009)
KNUT Constitution (2013), KNUT Strategic Plan (2008-2013), KNUT Strategic
Plan (2015-2019),KNUT Work Place Policy (2008), KNUT EFAIDS Curriculum
(2006) and KNUT Hand book (2009),resolutions of the Dakar Frame Work of
Action on EFA goals(2000). Further documents included; Machakos County TSC
reports (2014) and Machakos Examination analysis (2011-2014).The documents
were obtained from the teacher union offices, the Ministry of Education offices,
from libraries, from individuals and institutions that possessed the documents and
materials on teacher unions and education. During the interviews, the participants
assisted with documents relating to the study or referred the researcher to
individuals and institutions who might have relevant information. I also relied
Internet resources and on the KNUT library at KNUT headquarters were also
helpful in the study

Data collection procedures

 A research permit was obtained from the National Commission for Science
Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). The researcher presented the
Authorization letter was presented to the County Commissioner and the County
Director of Education Machakos who issued permission to carry out the research
within the county. Appointment with the public primary School head teachers were
made to visit the schools to administer the research instruments. For interviews the
KNUT officials were conducted and requested to participate in the interview. For
document review, permission was sought to visit KNUT library, to be availed
documents from their files and offices. Ministry of education policy documents
were obtained from national, county and sub county offices.

Data analysis techniques

According to Keith (2009) data analysis is a process of finding meaning from data.
Data collected was edited for accuracy, uniformity, and consistency and then
arranged to enable coding and analysis. Data was analyzed using descriptive and
inferential statistics assisted by the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS).
Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in tables,
while some were changed into frequency tables, bar graphs, and pie charts.
Inferential statistics used to analyze data included chi square test and Pearson
correlation. Chi squared statistic was obtained by correlating the responses of
teachers on KNUT’s initiatives influencing provision of quality education from a
sample unit of 83 primary schools with performance of pupils in KCPE from
calculated mean score for three years (2012, 2013 and 2014). The chi square test
(χ²) of independence was used to provide answers to research questions developed
from the objectives. According to Freeman (2006) the chi-square (χ²) test of
independence is used to evaluate group differences when testing categorical data.
Chi square test was suitable for the study for it enabled comparison between the
KNUT initiatives (expected outcomes) and quality education (observed outcomes).
The acceptable level of significance for the (χ²) test of was 0.05 at 1 degree of
freedom. Levels of significance found to be greater than 0.05 implied that KNUT’s
initiatives did not influence the provision of quality education. On the contrary, if
the level of significance was less than 0.05 then the relationship between KNUT
initiatives were found to influence provision of quality education. Coefficient of
Correlations was used to determine the relationship between the influences of
KNUT initiatives on activities in their individual schools. Coefficient of
correlations ranges between 1 and-1. Correlation coefficient value of less than 0.5
would mean a less significant relationship between the 2 variables while values
≥0.5 would mean very significant relationship between the 2 variables. A negative
correlation coefficient means that the relationship is inverse. Deductions made
from the relationship formed answers to research questions. Responses from
interviews 55 were transcribed and organized into themes and reported in
narratives, verbatim statements and discussions. The information from the
documentary analysis guide was grouped into themes according to the research
questions. It assisted to triangulate and corroborate the information got from the
questionnaire and the semi-structured interview.
Ethical considerations in data collection
The study upheld ethical issues on respect to human dignity by maintaining
honesty and openness with the respondents. It also sought for informed consent
and voluntary participation by requesting the respondents to participate in the
study. Rapport with the respondents was created by explaining to them the purpose
of the study. Confidentiality and anonymity was also upheld by assuring the
respondents that their identity was not to be publicized. Names of the respondents
were totally avoided in this study. The researcher at all times acknowledged the
source of information in order to avoid plagiarism which provided credibility to the
study.

CHAPTER 4