Factors influencing academic performance of girls of day mixed secondary schools of Bumula Sub-County Bungoma Count.

Abstract

This study looked into the factors influencing academic performance among girls in mixed day secondary schools of Bumula sub-county. The researcher tried to establish how the independent variable „factors‟ influence the dependent variable „academic performance‟ of the independent variable girls of mixed day secondary schools in Bumula sub-county. The study was guided by the following objectives: To determine the influence of family economic background on academic performance of girls in mixed day secondary schools of Bumula sub-county, to determine the influence of cultural on academic performance of girls in mixed day secondary schools in Bumula sub-county, to determine the influence of peer groups on academic performance in girls of mixed day secondary schools in Bumula sub-county and how school environment affect academic performance of girls in mixed day secondary schools of Bumula sub-county. To ascertain these, the researcher reviewed the literature of other researchers in the same field and found out that most researchers had described the factors based on either pure boy schools, pure girl schools and/or mixed boarding. They Based much of their studies on enrolment and what women became latter in the society but in this study, factors affecting academic performance of girls in day secondary schools were studied. In this research a total of 20 day secondary schools were studied. a target population of 1,760 of which 185 respondents were sampled for the study. This involved the principals, 25 teachers and 150 students in the 10 sampled schools. Descriptive survey design was employed in this study with both quantitative and qualitative aspects adopted. Data collection was by use of questionnaires and interview schedules. The data obtained was coded and recorded in frequency and percentage tables. To answer the research questions, data was collected by the researcher from teachers, students and principal‟s questionnaires whose validity and reliability was established first as the research findings were presented and analysed in tables. The researcher went on and drew a conclusion on individual factors under study. It was found that family socio-economic factors were playing a big role in poor academic performance for. Similarly, it was concluded that both cultural factors and peer group influence were among the key factors that were pulling down girl child performance. In addition, the researcher found out that school factors such as teaching methods, learning environment and physical facilities were negatively impacting on the girl‟s academic performance. Based on this conclusions, the researcher laid down some of the recommendations that educational practitioners ought to follow in an act of mitigating the poor girl child academic performance.