Socio-cultural factors affecting Kenya certificate of primary education performance in public primary schools, Turkana County, Kenya

Abstract

The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results in Kang’itit zone indicated plummeting trend of mean scores 224.14, 227.91, 239.39, 240.53, and 221.8for years 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 respectively. This necessitated the study whose key objectives were: To identify socio-cultural factors affecting KCPE performance in public primary schools; to establish strategies adoptable by teachers and other education stakeholders to counter socio-cultural factors which attributes to poor performance of KCPE results and to explore methods which teachers and other stakeholders may use to improve performance of KCPE in Turkana East Sub-County, Kangitit zone. The study used Descriptive Survey Design to collect information from a sample of 7head teachers (23%), 23 teachers (21.9%) and 1180 pupils (10%) drawn from a population of 30 Headteachers, 11800 pupils and 105 teachers. Purposive Sampling Technique was used to sample out schools and DEO. Learners in standard five, six, seven and eight were identified through Stratified Random Sampling and further stratified into sex and classes. Emile Durkheim (1858 -1917) theory of Structural Functionalism which looks at human society as an organism with different structures which perform different functions was adopted because school as an essential institution in the society should produce citizens who are equipped with desirable skills, knowledge and attitudes in its bid to address the needs of the society. Literature Review was obtained from sources such as internet, master theses, text books, journals, government reports and other relevant materials. Data were collected using both questionnaires for head teachers, learners and teachers and Interview Schedule for DEO after obtaining permission from relevant authorities. Some of the socio-cultural aspects identified by the study include: Parental level of education, nomadic lifestyle, domestic violence, household chores, early marriages, poor parental attitudes towards education and non-supportive Cultural beliefs. Based on these findings, it is, therefore, evident that socio-cultural lifestyles of the community in Kang’tit zone have a bearing on learning outcome. However, this study has also identified that minimal strategies have been undertaken to address the vice. Finally, the data collected analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and then presented statistically in form of graphs, charts and tables. Additionally, this study further has given the following recommendations: The government to develop community awareness programme that incorporates the parents, children and community leaders in order to discourage negative practices and sensitize them on positive practices to education; public primary schools within the region to form collaborations; the government should connect the area to the national grid and partnerships with both local and international non-governmental organizations with the aim of implementing projects that discourage negative sociocultural practices should be sought by the government. Further, audit should be done on the implementation of Free Primary Education in the zone to ascertain whether all the provisions have been put in place.