Factors influencing Kenya certificate of primary examination performance in informal settlements in Buuri district, Meru county, Kenya.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate factors that influence KCPE performance in informal settlements in Buuri District, Meru County, Kenya. The study was guided by four research objectives. The research objectives sought to; establish how socio-economic background of parents influence pupils performance; assess how teaching learning resources influence pupils KCPE performance in informal settlements; assess the effects of child labour on the performance of KCPE in informal settlements and lastly establish how pupils’ truancy influences pupils KCPE performance in informal settlements in Buuri District. The study employed a descriptive survey design. The sample for the study comprised of 5 headteachers, 70 teachers and 290 class 7 pupils. Data was collected by use of questionnaires. Findings revealed that socioeconomic background of parents affected pupils’ performance. Pupils’ parents’ were generally poor and hence unable to provide their pupils with teaching and learning resources. It was also revealed inadequate teaching and learning resources affected pupils’ performance. The study revealed that materials intended to enhance the teaching and learning process were inadequate hence affecting the performance of the pupils. Findings indicated that there were children in the school participating in their parents’ economic activities hence disrupting their learning and hence leading to poor performance. Child labour made pupils keep on thinking about money rather than studies and hence performed poorly as they lost interest in academic work. Based on the study findings, it was concluded that schools had more than half of the school population pupils from informal settlements. The study also concluded that most of the parents of pupils in the school were generally poor and hence not able to provide their pupils with teaching and learning resources. The study also concluded that pupils were not able to complete the assignments given to them in some subjects and they fought for few materials leading to enmity among pupils which killed the spirit of teamwork. The researcher further concluded that irregularity in supply of resources and the unavailability of resources contributed to unconducive learning environment hence hindering pupils to perform well in examinations. Based on the findings and conclusions, the study makes the following recommendations. The study recommends that the County Government should economically empower the people living in the informal settlements so as they can let their children attend schools. Government should provide enough teaching learning resources to schools in the informal settlements to facilitate pupils learning and hence improving pupils’ academic achievement. The community in the informal settlement should be empowered on the need to educating their children. Based on the findings, the researcher suggested that since the study was carried out in a rural setting, there is need to conduct a similar study in an urban informal settlement so as to compare the results.