An investigation of the influence of Field Education Officers’ Transformational Leadership Practices in Resource Management on primary school administrators’ Job Satisfaction in the South Rift region, Kenya

ABSTRACT: The job satisfaction (JS) of school administrators is essential for delivering high-quality education. It strengthens their motivation and commitment while reducing burnout—key factors that directly enhance student outcomes. In Kenya’s South Rift region, teachers in Bomet and Narok counties‘ primary schools miss 12.9% and 23.5% of scheduled lessons, respectively, figures that far exceed the national average of 6.6% and signal severe deficiencies in teacher morale and professional fulfilment. This study sought to establish the influence of Field Education Officers‘(FEOs) Transformational Leadership Practices (TLPs) in Resource Management on primary school administrators’ Job Satisfaction. Grounded in House’s Path-Goal Theory and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, the research adopted a concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design. The target population comprised 2,754 primary school administrators (heads of institutions, deputy heads, and senior teachers), 79 FEOs, and 16 FEOs‘ immediate supervisors, giving a total population of 2,849. From this, a sample of 347 was selected using Nassiuma‘s (2000) formula for sample size determination, comprising 276 primary school administrators and 63 FEOs through stratified random sampling, and 8 FEOs‘ Immediate supervisors through purposive sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, interview guides, and document analysis guides. Questionnaires underwent expert content validation and exploratory factor analysis after pilot testing,