FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOW ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN NZERUNI ZONE, MWINGI DISTRICT, KENYA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ....................................................................................... i

APPROVAL ............................................................................................ ii

DEDICATION ......................................................................................... iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ............................................................................ iv

DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS .................................................................. v

TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................... vi

LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................... ix

LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................. x

ABSTRACT ............................................................................................ xi

CHAPTER ONE ...................................................................................... 1

INTODUCTION ...................................................................................... 1

1. 1 Background ..................................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of the problem ................................................................ 2

1.3 Objectives of the study .................................................................... 2

1.3.1 General objectives ........................................................................ 2

1.3.2 Specific objectives of the study ..................................................... 2

1.5 Scope of the study ........................................................................... 3

1.6 Significance of the study .................................................................. 4

CHAPTER TWO ..................................................................................... 5

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ..................................................... 5

Education policies and institutional process .......................................... 5

Poverty and academic performance of pupils ......................................... 6

School facilities and academic performance of pupils ............................. 7

Teacher quality and performance of pupils ............................................ 9

Indiscipline of pupils and performance ................................................ 10

Home environment and academic performance of pupils in national

examinations ....................................................................................... 11

Vl

CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................ 13

METHODOLOGY ................................................................................. 13

3.0 Introduction .................................................................................. 13

3.1 Research Design ............................................................................ 13

3.2 Research Environment .................................................................. 13

3.4 Instruments of Data Collection ...................................................... 13

3.5 Sample Size and Sampling Procedures ........................................... 14

3.6 Data Analysis ................................................................................ 14

3.7 Statistical Treatment of Data ......................................................... 14

3.7 Data Collection Procedures ............................................................ 14

CHAPTER FOUR .................................................................................. 16

FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS .................................................... 16

4.0 Introduction .................................................................................. 16

4.1 Profile of the respondents .............................................................. 16

4.2 Reasons for poor performance in national examinations ................ 18

4.2.1 Poverty and performance of pupils in national examinations ....... 18

4.2.2 School facilities and performance of pupils in national

examinations ....................................................................................... 23

4.2.3 The quality of teachers and performance of pupils in national

examinations ....................................................................................... 27

4.2.4 Indiscipline and performance of pupils in national exams ........... 30

4.2.5 Home environment and performance of pupils in national exams.31

CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................... 36

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 36

5.1 Summary of Findings and their Relevance ..................................... 36

5.2 Conclusions .................................................................................. 38

5.3 Recommendations ......................................................................... 38

5.4 Areas for further research .............................................................. 39

REFERENCES ..................................................................................... 40