The Role Of School Culture In Shaping The Development Of Intercultural Competence Among Students In Public Secondary Schools In Kericho County, Kenya

Abstract

The objective of the study was to investigate the role of school culture in shaping the development of intercultural competence among students in public secondary schools in Kericho County, Kenya.  The study employed a descriptive research approach. 5 Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs), 209 principals, 418 classroom teachers, and 418 student leaders (representing Form 1 and Form 2 classes) from 209 public secondary schools made up the target population. With 5 QASOs, 57 principals, 116 class teachers, and 116 student leaders, the sample size was 294; these individuals represented 20%, 40%, and 40% of their respective target groups. The sample size was calculated for the study using the Slovin formula. For class teachers and student leaders, representativeness was guaranteed through the use of cluster sampling and stratified random sampling; purposive sampling was employed for principals and QASOs. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data, and 10% of the sample size from six public secondary schools in Baringo County participated in a pilot project. SPSS was utilized to calculate descriptive statistics, while Pearson correlations were employed for inferential statistics. Tables and charts were used to display the results, and narratives were used to show the qualitative data that had undergone theme analysis. The findings demonstrated that there was a high and statistically significant positive connection (r = 0.625, p < 0.01) between students' intercultural competence and school culture, indicating that intercultural competence had a positive relationship with enhanced school culture. School Culture emerges as a significant predictor of Intercultural Competence among Students (β = 0.228, p = 0.029).