ABSTRACT
Effective performance appraisal system depends on how it addresses itself to the views and attitudes of the teachers in the school. Since 2012, teachers in Kenya have been appraised using a revised system of appraisal whose effectiveness has not been verified. The purpose of this study was to explore the teachers‟ perceptions on the effectiveness of the appraisal system. The specific objectives of the study were to: establish teachers‟ perceptions about the effectiveness of the teachers‟ performance appraisal system in meeting its purpose in public secondary schools in Naivasha and Gilgil districts; determine the effectiveness of the teachers‟ performance appraisal methods; assess the performance of teachers‟ appraisers and establish the usefulness of performance appraisal feedback for teachers in public secondary schools. The study was grounded on a four phase performance appraisal model by Grote (2003). The study employed descriptive survey design targeting 50 principals, 50 deputy principals and 434 teachers from public secondary schools in Naivasha and Gilgil districts. The researcher used stratified random sampling method to select 15 schools to participate in the study. From the 15 public secondary schools, 15 principals and deputy principals were purposefully selected while 6 teachers were selected from each of the sampled schools using simple random sampling method, giving a total of 120 respondents. Questionnaires, one designed for principals, another one for deputy principals and the third one for teachers were used as instruments of data collection. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected during the study. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics; frequency counts, percentages and means while content analysis was done on qualitative data based on identified themes, patterns and categories of responses. The results of the analysis were presented thematically in narrative form, frequency table, bar graphs and pie charts. The study established that the current performance appraisal process was not effective in achieving its desired goals in public secondary schools in both Gilgil and Naivasha districts. The most commonly used methods of performance appraisal in schools under study were school administrator observation and self evaluation. However, the most effective and preferred method of performance appraisal was combination of various methods. Most of the teachers viewed appraisers in their schools as ineffective in performance of their work. The major factor which made them to be ineffective was lack of requisite skills required to conduct teachers‟ performance appraisal process. In addition to this, the study established that there was a problem in communication of the performance feedback among the appraisers and appraisee and as well as from TSC, the employer. To a large extent therefore, teachers found performance appraisal as of no benefit. To improve on these challenges, the study recommends that; TSC needs to in-service the principals, deputy principals, and the teachers on performance appraisal in order to demystify its purpose in schools. Training will also equip performance appraisers with requisite skills and knowledge and hence improve their performance. The study also recommended use of combination of various methods to appraise the teachers and improvement in communication of the feedback between the TSC, schools and the teachers for them to benefit.