Factors affecting academic achievement of day secondary schools in Nandi district.

Abstract

In the current National Development Plan 2002-2008, the government is committed to providing efficient and affordable education. It intends to improve access, quality, relevance and management of secondary education. To achieve this, one of the strategies is to encourage the establishment of more day secondary schools. The study examined the factors affecting academic achievement in day secondary schools in Nandi North. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, six specific research objectives were addressed: to find out how day secondary schools students perform academically, to investigate whether day secondary schools have the required facilities, to find out the attitude of teachers and students towards day secondary schools, to determine challenges faced by day secondary schools students in attaining academic achievement and to suggest mechanisms for bringing about improvement in the academic performance of day secondary schools. The data for this study was collected from primary and secondary sources. The research instruments were questionnaire, observation and interviews schedule. The research design was validated by experts in the subject area including the supervisor. Descriptive survey research was used to get information on the effects of day secondary schools on academic achievement. Fifteen (15) secondary schools were randomly selected to form the study sample. The findings of the study showed that students perform very poorly, majority of secondary day students get an average grade of C. On the adequacy of infrastructural facilities for day secondary schools, the finding indicted that most secondary day school lack enough learning facilities which in turn have made the school perform poorly in academic achievement. It was established from the study that teachers have a negative attitude toward day students and regarded them as academically, socially and their morals are low, that their parents are not concern about their future. The findings showed that religious affiliation and peer influence as the most predominant social factors which influence the performance of day schools. While the challenges facing secondary day schools include tribal and church politics, poor living standards and unconcern parents. Based on the findings of this study the researcher recommends the following recommendations: the need for learning environment in day secondary schools in Kenya to be given priority attention by the government so that students can learn well. There is need for head teacher of day secondary schools to conduct periodic inventories of their textbooks, teaching aids and materials, and adopt policies for the acquisition of adequate and up-to-date textbooks and teaching materials. Administrators should provide seminars geared towards "moral recovery" for all teachers and other employees of their schools Government should create the means by which students can join the secondary school of their interests and counseling in preparation for examinations are also vital to the students' academic performances. Students' study habits and attitudes could be improved by orientations, guidance and counseling, holding friendly competitions in various academic subjects, encouraging membership in academic subjects clubs, and the monitoring of the study habits of children by parents.