Factors influencing pupils performance in kenya certificate of primary education in rehabilitation schools; the case of Wamumu and Kabete

Abstract

The purpose of the research study was to establish factors influencing performance at Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in rehabilitation schools. The study sought to achieve three objectives. These were to; 1. Determine the influence of socio-economic status of pupil on academic performance of pupils at KCPE in Rehabilitation Schools. 2. Establish the influence of learner-characteristics on academic performance of pupils at KCPE in Rehabilitation Schools. 3. Find out the contribution of school related factors on academic performance of pupils at KCPE in Rehabilitation Schools. The study focused on the case of two schools; Wamumu Rehabilitation School and Kabete Rehabilitation School. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The main data collection instruments were questionnaires. There were questionnaires for teachers and standard eight pupils. Prior to the actual study a pilot study was done to test the validity and reliability of the research instruments. Data was analyzed and tabulated using descriptive statistics generated from the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (S.P.S.S). The study revealed that academic performance of pupils in rehabilitation schools was adversely affected by factors like socio-economic status of pupil, learner characteristics and school related factors. The study on pupil’s socio-economic status revealed that majority of the pupils are from relatively poor backgrounds, their parents have low education levels, low income occupations or unemployed, therefore lack of good parenting and role models at home which impacts negatively in their academic performance in KCPE. The study also showed that learner characteristics encompassing aspects like entry behavior e.g. truancy, lost time in police cells, remand, Gethathuru collection center and lack of interest contributed to the pupil’s poor performance in KCPE. Besides school related factors like the arrangement of the school program and activities that the pupils need to attend to e.g. attending to general duties in earlier classes i.e. 6 or 7, vocational training which takes 2 days of the week, sports, rehabilitation programs and sometimes punishment posed challenges on syllabus coverage which was many times not completed at all with teachers response of ‘not at all coverage’ being at 77.78%. All this factors combined show that they work together to influence the low performance in KCPE in rehabilitation schools. Based on the findings, the study made recommendations to review existing policies, programs and arrangements of rehabilitation schools in view to assist these pupils perform better in KCPE under the difficult circumstances they find themselves in. Further, research and other surveys especially in regard to education of rehabilitation schools in Kenya needs to be carried out.