Determinants of pupils' performance in English Language at Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in Yatta Division, Yatta District, Kenya

Abstract

Pupils' performance in English language at Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in Yatta division has not been satisfactory for a couple of years. English is instrumental in the implementation of the primary school curriculum, since it is the language of instruction in schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate determinants of pupils' performance in English language at Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in public primary schools in Yatta division.

This study involved all public primary schools in Yatta division that had done Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The study sought to: (i) Establish the availability and accessibility of instructional resources and their influence on pupils' performance in English. (ii) Explore the teaching methods frequently used in English language teaching and learning and their influence on pupils' performance in English. (iii) Assess the classroom environment and its influence on pupils' performance in English. (iv) Analyze class sizes and their influence on pupils' performance in English, and (iv) Find out the teachers' workloads and their influence on pupils performance in English.

The study utilized a cross-sectional surveys design because it involved the use of specific samples of population at a specific time. Stratified random sampling was used to obtain fourteen (14) schools from the four educational zones in Yatta division. The respondents included twenty eight (28) teachers of English who teach upper primary classes and 140 pupils in upper primary classes. Simple random sampling was used to select teachers and pupils who participated in this study. Two questionnaires, one for teachers and another for pupils, and a lesson observation schedule were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative procedures.

The study found out that: (i) Public pnmary schools in Yatta division had inadequate instructional resources for English language teaching and learning. (ii) Teachers of English frequently used three methods; discussion, question and answer and lecturer. (iii) Classrooms in public primary schools lacked displays, were dilapidated and in need of repair and were without class libraries, and (iv) Teachers of English had heavy work loads. The study concluded that in adequate resources, the few frequently used teaching methods, poor classroom environment and teachers' heavy workloads negatively influenced pupil's performance in English. The study recommended that: (i) The government should provide public primary schools with adequate and a variety of instructional media. (ii) The district education officer should mount continuous orientation and in serving of teachers of English, and (ii) Teachers Service Commission should employ additional teachers to reduce the teachers' work loads.