Factors influencing academic performance of students in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in Manyatta Division, Embu County

Abstract

Academic achievement is a prelude to achievement in life. In Kenya the KCSE examination determine who proceeds to university education and therefore plays a very big part in a student's life. The success or failure in this exam can determine the direction that a student's life takes. Several factors influence a student's performance in the KCSE exam and this study is geared towards finding the influence of those factors in a student's performance in KCSE. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence the performance of KCSE achievement of students in Manyatta Division, Embu County. Besides it examined the prediction of KCSE with the four independent factors namely, teaching methods, school facilities, students' motivation and principals' leadership. This study used a descriptive researclt design to achieve its objectives. A questionnaire was applied to the respondents to collect data on those factors. A content analysis and descriptive analysis was employed to analyse the collected data. The content analysis was used to analyse the respondents' views. Tables and other graphical presentations as appropriate were used to present the collected data for ease of understanding. The findings that the schools do not apply various teaching methods to complement each other. The teachers seem to be ignorant of the various teaching methods to be used in class. The teachers need to be sensitized on the importance of teaching methods. The sampled schools do not have enough school facilities. They do not have the basic requirements for a school for example; laboratories, enough spaced classes, enough teachers and books. It can be concluded in the influence of student's motivation on academic performance in KCSE, that the students are not motivated. The influence of principal leadership on academic performance in KCSE was indicated. The principal do not observe the leadership style that support good academic performance of the students.