School Based Factors That Influence Students' Academic Performance in Kcse in Public Secondary

Abstract

This study investigated school-based factors that influence performance in KCSE in Taita District, Kenya. The study sought to achieve five objectives which centred on selected school-based factors in relation to KCSE performance. The objectives were: To find out the influence of teachers' characteristics on students' performance in KCSE in Taita District. To establish the effect of provision of teaching and learning resources on students' KCSE performance in Taita District. To examine the influence of appropriate student personnel services on students' performance in KCSE in Taita District. To determine the influence of headteacher's supervision in teaching and learning process on students' performance in KCSE examinations in Taita District. To identify the effects of physical facilities on the students' performance in KCSE in Taita District. The study was carried out in 35 public secondary schools covering the four divisions in Taita District namely:- Mwatate, Wundanyi, Tausa and Voi. A review of related literature was carried out under the following sub-titles> Teachers' characteristics, provision of instructional materials, availability of physical facilities, supervision and appropriate students' personnel services. The study embarked on Ex-post facto design and the data was collected using three sets of questionnaires that is the headteachers', teachers' and students'. The instruments were piloted and tested for validity and reliability. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the data analysis. Chi-square test was used to test various research questions. XIV The school-based factors which affected performance were unmotivated teachers, inadequate instructional materials and other related resources inappropriate students' personnel services, unfriendly supervision during learning and teaching processes and inadequate physical facilities. The study made far reaching recommendations to arrest the school factors which affect performance. These recommendations were as follows: the teachers should be provided with opportunities for more exposure through in service programmes. The school should strive to provide instructional adequate resources. Appropriate students' personnel services should be enhanced both by headteachers and teachers to ensure a peaceful co-existence. Headteachers should carry out their supervisory roles especially during all learning processes with integrity and love. Also, schools should ensure adequate physical facilities are available to avoid incompetent teaching and learning. The study also made suggestions for further research. All these suggestions were geared towards improving the well being..of public secondary schools in Taita district. These suggestions included among others that the researchers should conduct a study on other factors that may influence performance in KCSE other than school-based factors. A similar study should also be conducted covering the entire coast province for concrete analysis. A study focusing on private schools performance should also be conducted. Finally, a similar study should be conducted having an urban setting instead of a rural setting for comparative analysis