Relaciones, problemáticas y consecuencias de los Estándares con la educación

The fourth objective sought to identify measures that can be put in place to improve pupil’s performance in KCPE in public primary schools in Chuka division. The qualitative responses obtained from teachers and pupils are presented on Table 4.15.

Table 4.15: Teachers Views on Measures to Improve Pupil’s Academic Performance in KCPE Strategies SA % A % UN % D % SD %

i) Involve all stakeholders in solving social- economic challenges in the community

71.4 14.3 9.5 4.8 -

ii) Promote discipline of the pupils 80.9 14.3 4.8 - - iii) Lobby the community to shun social-cultural

beliefs such as social bias against girls in education provision

85.7 9.5 4.8 - -

iv) Lobbying the government and NGOs to assist poor families so that they can educate their children

52.3 42.9 4.8 - -

v) Lobby the community to stop engaging pupils in home-related economic activities such as picking Miraa that affect academic performance negatively

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The study revealed that 71.4 % of the teacher respondents strongly agreed that involvement of all stakeholders in solving social-cultural and economic challenges in the community would be an effective strategy in improving pupils’ performance in KCPE, 14.3% on the other hand agreed 9.5% were undecided while 4.8 disagreed. Bingeon (2005) recommended the need to involve opinion education stakeholders in community sensitization against retrogressive cultural practices that impede education progress of children.

The study further established that 95.2% of the teachers both strongly agreed and agreed that various strategies to promote pupils discipline may lead to improved academic performance in KCPE. The rest 4.8% were undecided. Abdinoor (2012) recommend that the head teachers should strive to instill discipline in the students and to constantly supervise the work of teachers to ensure quality teaching.

The findings also show that majority 85.7% teachers strongly felt that the community can be lobbied to shun social-cultural beliefs such as social bias against girls in education provision. Heinonen (2002) recommend that since the effects of economic, social and cultural factors, in education are in complex interaction and play their part in determining access to and success in education, both for boys and girls should be protected from discrimination. There is an urgent need to reverse this trend of social bias against girls in education provision because gender parity is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that Kenya is a signatory to. Failure to do so would make the area lag behind in terms of development since women are key players in economic advancement of any modern society.

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The findings from the teachers’ responses further show that 52.3 and 42.9 percent agreed that lobbying in the government and NGOs to assist poor families so that they can educate their children can be done as a strategy to improve pupils’ academic performance. Similar suggestion were obtained from 66.7% respondents who strongly agreed that the community can be lobbied to stop engaging pupils in home- related economic activities such as picking and using miraa that affect academic performance negatively.

An item was included in the pupils’ questionnaire that sought to establish the strategies that the pupils would provide on how to improve academic performance in KCPE and the results obtained are presented in Table 4.16.

Table 4.16: Pupils views on measures to improve academic Performance in KCPE Strategies SA % A % UN % D % SD %

i) Involve all stakeholders in solving social- cultural and economic challenges in the community

88.6 6.4 1.3 1.7 -

ii) Promote discipline of the students 84.8 6.4 4.2 4.6 - iii) Lobby the community to shun social-cultural

beliefs such as social bias against girls in education provision

92.0 2.1 2.5 3.4 -

iv) Lobbying the government and NGOs to assist poor families so that they can educate their children

75.9 13.1 8.0 3.0 -

v) Lobby the community to stop engaging pupils in home-related economic activities such as picking miraa that affect academic performance negatively

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From the study findings, the same strategies were identified pupils such that88.6% of the pupils strongly agreed that the academic performance can be improved by involving all stakeholders in solving social-cultural and economic challenges in the community. This shows that there can be improved academic performance in KCPE in Chuka division if all stakeholders are involved in solving social-cultural and economic challenges in the community. The sentiments by the pupils seem to concur with the teachers’ findings and therefore may be construed to be a strategy that may be employed to improve pupils’ performance in KCPE. The pupils’ response regarding promoting pupils discipline as a strategy to improve pupil’s academic performance in KCPE also concurs with the teachers findings. The pupils were also in agreement with the teachers’ suggestion that the community can be sensitized to shun social-cultural beliefs and practices such as initiation and cultural practices.

The results from pupils and teachers reveal that pupils academic performance can be achieved by lobbying with the government and NGOs to assist poor families so that they can educate their children and help the community to stop engaging pupils in home related economic activities such as picking miraa (khat) that affect academic performance negatively

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CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Introduction

This chapter presents a summary of the main study findings, are conclusions and recommendations. The study also offers suggestions for further research.