Factors Influencing Student Performance In Kcse In Mathira East District

Abstract

Education is a basic need in the life of a human being. This is because it helps an individual to think and to become socialized in the society. To find out if an individual has learnt, his or her performance is studied. The academic performance of students in mathira east has remained poor for many years. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the determinants that cause poor peformance in mathira east district, where majority of students are enrolled in public secondary schools. The objective of this study was to establish whether factors like the student home environment enhance performance. The study was also seek to establish the extent to which each of this factors influence student performance. The research was carried out in mathira east district, Nyeri county. Nine sample secondary schools were satisfied for the study. The study involved nine headteachers, thirty four form four teachers and 394 students. The researcher was guided by the following questions (research questions). A crosssectional descriptive survey design method was adopted by the researcher. Primary data was collected by the use of a questionaire and observation schedule. The validity and reliability of the research instruments were enhanced by peer review and pearson correlation coefficient. A reliability correlation coefficient of at least 0.8 was considered relevant for the study. The raw data that was coded and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), in both qualitative and quantitative statistic techniques. Data presentation would involve use of frequencies, totals, percentages and tables. The study found out that among the variales under study, inadequate teaching/ learning resources, poor students home background, pooradministrative practices and poor teacher commitment were the main causes of poor student performance in Mathira East Distirct. The reseracher therefore recommends that schools should be allocated more finds in order to access better teaching/ learning resources, teachers should get better working condidtions, heateachres should be held more accounable and finally that parents must be sensitized on the need to play a better role in their children,s education.