Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Level of Academic Performance among Learners in Public Day Secondary Schools in Nyeri County, Kenya
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Date
2025-06
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
The Ministry of Education shows that from 2013 to 2016, public day schools had an average of 3.2 points after their students sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), a major concern for education stakeholders since day secondary schools are championed as a viable option to contain the escalating education costs. Public day schools for secondary education within Nyeri Central Sub-County have consistently posted poor academic performance in national examinations compared to the overall performance of secondary schools within the county. Steered by the theory on Self -Efficacy by Alberta Bandura, the following study’s purpose was to look into the relationship between self-efficacy and academic performance among students in public day schools for secondary education within Nyeri Central Sub-County, Kenya. The study population comprised 15 secondary schools from the county, with 3,387 students. Simple random sampling selected 5 schools and 1,017 students, while stratified sampling was useful in selecting 287 student respondents per school. In each class, there was utilization of similar simple random sampling for selecting students. Standardized questionnaire adopted from Muris, P. (2001, 2002) was the main data collection tool. Piloting involved 29 respondents from five schools outside of Nyeri County. Test-retest reliability assessed consistency, and analysis of data was through SPSS version 27.0. Descriptive findings on levels of self-efficacy established that students had a moderate self-efficacy level, Mean 82.51 (SD=12.228 while descriptive findings on academic performance established that on average the students had below average performance, Mean 4.40 (SD=2.10). Pearson Correlation findings established that there was a positive relationship that was weak between self-efficacy and academic performance, r (285) = .151, p < .05. A moderate positive relationship existing amidst academic self-efficacy and academic performance was also established amongst students in public day secondary schools in Nyeri Central Sub County, r (285) = .374, p < .05. From the study results it was recommended that high schools should consider having active guidance programs that can be helpful in developing positive self-beliefs in students. It is further recommended that the education ministry should provide adequate resources in day secondary schools that will allow the students to have equal opportunities of enhancing their level of performance.
Description
A Research Project Submitted To Kenyatta University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award of Master of Arts (Counseling Psychology) of Kenyatta University, June 2025.
Supervisor
Christine Wasanga