Effect of instructional capacity on the effectiveness of undergraduate physiotherapy programme in Kenyan universities

Physiotherapy education plays an important role in preparing competent health professionals capable of responding to the changing healthcare needs of the Kenyan population. The effectiveness of undergraduate physiotherapy programmes is, however, influenced by the adequacy and quality of instructional capacity, including faculty qualifications and expertise, teaching and learning resources, mentorship, clinical supervision, staffing, and institutional support. This study examined the effect of instructional capacity on the effectiveness of undergraduate physiotherapy programmes in Kenyan universities. The study was guided by Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) Model, which provided the theoretical framework for evaluating programme effectiveness by examining contextual conditions, instructional inputs, implementation processes, and programme outcomes. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed. The target population comprised 609 stakeholders, from whom a sample of 234 respondents was selected using multistage sampling procedures. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics and linear regression in SPSS version 27. Qualitative data were obtained through key informant interviews and analysed thematically. Ethical approval and relevant research procedures were observed throughout the study. The findings established that instructional capacity had a statistically significant positive effect on the effectiveness of undergraduate physiotherapy programmes. Regression analysis showed that instructional capacity significantly predicted programme effectiveness (B = 0.545, β = 0.375, t = 6.164, p < .05), explaining 14.1% of the variance in programme effectiveness (R² = 0.141). Descriptive findings indicated that faculty expertise and teaching effectiveness were relatively satisfactory, with a mean score of 3.73, while the availability of learning resources and facilities was moderate (M = 3.14). Financial support was rated relatively low (M = 2.20). Qualitative findings further revealed challenges associated with increasing student enrolment, inadequate staffing, competing clinical responsibilities, and insufficient teaching and learning resources, which constrained effective programme delivery. The study concludes that instructional capacity is an important determinant of the effectiveness of undergraduate physiotherapy programmes in Kenyan universities. Strengthening faculty capacity, ensuring adequate staffing, improving teaching and clinical learning resources, and enhancing institutional and financial support are therefore essential for improving programme effectiveness. The study recommends that universities strengthen faculty development programmes, recruit and retain adequate numbers of qualified academic and clinical staff, provide sufficient teaching and learning facilities, and enhance collaboration between universities and clinical practice institutions. These measures would contribute to improved instructional quality and the preparation of competent physiotherapy graduates capable of meeting Kenya’s evolving healthcare needs.