School-based Factors Influencing Pupils’ Academic Performance in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in Tetu District, Nyeri County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the school based factors that influenced pupils’ academic performance in KCPE in Tetu district. The study sought to determine the influence of head teachers’ professional support, teachers’ professional qualifications, pupil-teacher ratio, physical facilities, teaching and learning resources on pupils’ academic performance. The study was based on systems theory which was proposed by Ludwig L. Von Bertalanffy in the year 1969. Using Descriptive survey design, the study targeted 59 primary school head teachers, 295 teachers and 2151 standard eight candidates. Head teachers and teachers were selected using stratified sampling that captured 30 percent of target population. This translated to 18 head teachers and 89 teachers. Proportionate stratified sampling that captured 10 percent of the target population (2151 pupils) was used to select 215 standard eight pupils. Questionnaires were used as data collection instrument for head teachers, teachers and pupils. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The findings revealed that there were school based factors that influenced pupils’ academic performance in KCPE. They included: inadequate teachers as was reported by 54 percent of head teachers, 55 percent of teachers and 53 percent of pupils. Physical facilities like libraries were inadequate as was reported by 72 percent of head teachers. Teaching and learning resources such as revision books were inadequate as was reported by 71 percent of teachers. Head teachers’ professional support was inadequate as was reported by 53 percent of the teachers. There were many teachers with lowest professional qualification as was indicated by 31 percent of head teachers. It was recommended that the government should provide more teachers to needy schools in order to minimize teachers’ workload. Head teachers, school committees and parents should organize how to raise funds to help in building and equipping libraries which act as resource centres. Head teachers should buy enough teaching and learning resources as they facilitate learning. Head teachers should carry out their professional role regularly and in-service programmes should be provided to both head teachers and teachers through provision of funds by the ministry of education. It was suggested that similar study be carried out in other districts in the country for comparison purposes. Another study should be done to establish the challenges facing primary school head teachers in curriculum implementation.