Instructional Preparation Practices and Business Studies Performance in Kenyan Public Secondary Schools: Evidence from Matuga Sub-County

Business Studies performance in Matuga Sub-County, Kwale County, Kenya declined from a mean score of 4.2 in 2019 to 3.1 in 2024, well below the national average of 5.8. While classroom management is widely recognised as a determinant of academic achievement, no study has examined how instructional preparation specifically shapes Business Studies performance. This study investigated the influence of teachers’ instructional preparation practices on Business Studies students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Matuga Sub-County. Grounded in Kounin’s Classroom Management Theory and Vygotsky’s Social Constructivist Theory, the study adopted a convergent parallel mixed-methods design targeting 5,314 stakeholders across 17 schools. A total of 346 respondents participated (317 students, 20 teachers, 9 principals), yielding a 93.0% response rate. Instructional preparation recorded the strongest correlation with performance (r = .608, p < .001) and was the dominant regression predictor (β = .597, p < .001), with the model explaining 43.9% of variance. Seven of nine principals independently identified lesson planning as the most effective classroom management practice. Performance was measured through self-reported perceptions rather than examination scores, which limits the scope of conclusions. The study concluded that instructional preparation is the strongest predictor of Business Studies performance and recommended that teachers prioritise structured lesson planning, that principals institutionalise lesson observation, and that the Teachers Service Commission incorporate subject-specific preparation into professional development.

Instructional Preparation, Classroom Management, Business Studies, Academic Performance, Secondary Schools

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