Factors affecting performance in physics among learners with cerebral palsy in the Kenya Certificate of Seconadry Education
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Date
2012-04-19
Authors
Waudo, Eunice Wanjira
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Abstract
The purpose of the study was to establish factors that affect performance in Physics among learners with cerebral palsy in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination. The study was based in two provinces i.e Central and Nyanza where two among the only three special schools for learners with disabilities are found. These are i.e Joytown and Joyland secondary schools in Thika and Kisumu
respectively. The third secondary school of this kind i.e Mombasa Secondary School for the Physically Handicapped was used as a pilot study.
The target population of the study was one hundred and fifty six respondents' i.e one hundred and fifty one students, three teachers and two head teachers. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample size whereby all students with C P taking Physics in forms two, three and four were taken. The same method was used to select the teachers who taught Physics in the two schools and the two head teachers of the two schools. The total sample size was therefore forty nine i.e. forty four students, three teachers and two head teachers.
The design of the study was descriptive survey study. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedules, focus group discussions and classroom observation schedules all designed and developed by the researcher. Data was analyzed both quantitatively and quantitatively. The study found out that factors that affect performance in Physics include lack of a suitable syllabus, absence of adapted facilities and learning equipments, lack of provision of adequate time to complete the syllabus and also during the KCSE examination and questions that are not friendly to learners with C P.
Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that K I E develops suitable syllabuses for learners with C P, that teachers teaching learners with C P have some basic training in the area of not less than three months, that the Ministry of Education constructs special science laboratories in the three special schools, that K S C E papers for learners with CP be set by experts in the area and be marked by the same. For further research the researcher recommends a study to establish whether learners with C P actually benefit from science based subjects and especially the practicals since there are a number of activities they are not able to perform.