EFFECTS OF PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING ON PERFORMANCE OF TVET INSTITUTIONS IN NAIROBI COUNTY KENYA

Abstract

This study was because Technical education has been for a very long undermined by trainees because of the wrong perception that is attached to it that is for those who are not academically endowed. It is however emerging that industrialization is not possible without technical education and that is why the government has captured education and training as one of the pillars in vision 2030. The role of technical training has been identified as helping to create employment; raising productivity which ultimately leads to economic development. The main objective of this study was to determine how performance contracting has affected the performance of TVET institutions. The specific objectives were to: evaluate effects of customer service on performance of TVET institutions, assess the relationship between service quality and performance of TVET institutions, determine the effect of competitiveness on performance of TVET institutions, and to examine the relationship between strategy implementation and performance of TVET institutions. The study is significant to academicians in expansion of knowledge, to policy maker in developing policies for TVET institutions and to management of this institution as they carry out day-to-day operations of the institution. The study was anchored on several theories namely: New Public Management theory; Goal Setting theory; SERVQUAL model; expectancy dis-confirmation theory; theory of competitiveness and classical theory. From the review of literature knowledge gap was identified, as there was no evidence of studies carried out in TVET institutions to assess the relationship between performance contracting and performance of such institutions. The target population was drawn from 8 government sponsored technical institution in Nairobi County out of which 4 were picked for purpose of this study. From the four institutions, stratified sampling was used where a sample of 211 that comprised management, lecturers and non-teaching staff was taken. The study adopted descriptive research design and data was collected using semi structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17 and presented using tables, graphs and figures. The study found out customer, service contributes 35.7% to performance, that there was a strong relationship between institution service quality and performance of TVET. The study also found that there was a moderate relationship between institution competitiveness and performance of TVET institutions. The study concluded that Performance contracting has a significant effect on the performance of TVET institutions and recommends that more effort should mainly be put in improving customer service and service quality for these institutions to remain competitive in a changing business environment.