Role of Project Management Methodology in the Success of free primary education programme in Machakos Sub-County

Abstract

Project management methodologies entail a structured approach to planning, executing, and completing projects by providing guidelines, principles, and processes that help teams achieve project goals effectively and efficiently. Free primary education entails a policy where the government covers basic education costs for children, typically up to a certain age. It removes a financial barrier to attending school and offers a safety net for families who do not have to pay tuition fees. Kenya implemented free primary education in 2003, leading to a significant increase in enrollment despite challenges. However, existing literature consistently accentuates a notable failure rate in the success of free primary education programmes, with evidence derived from Machakos Sub County. As a result, the role of this study was to investigate the role of project management methodology in the success of the Free Primary Education (FPE) programme in Machakos Sub-County. The study's specific objectives were as follows: to assess the effects of project finance in the success of the Free Primary Education programme in Machakos Sub-County, to determine the effects of project leadership in the success of the Free Primary Education programme in Machakos Sub-County, to explore the effects of project monitoring in the success of free Primary Education programme in Machakos Sub-County, to establish the effects of stakeholder management in the success of Free Primary Education programme in Machakos Sub-County. The study was guided by the principles of the stakeholder and program theory; while utilising an inferential statistical research design, the study targeted 262 workers in 63 public primary schools located in Machakos Sub-County. A stratified random sampling technique was employed to ensure representation, selecting a sample of 19 schools. The data was collected using structured questionnaires selected for their ability to gather information with minimal bias and Error. Before commencing the main study, a preliminary study was conducted in six randomly chosen schools in Machakos Sub County. Data analysis encompassed both descriptive and inferential statistics. Quantitative data was processed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 22.