Resource allocation and students’ performance in chemistry in K.C.S.E in selected public secondary schools in Tharaka south District
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Date
2010
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Publisher
Kampala International University
Abstract
This study aimed at finding out the relationship between the current educational
resources allocation to chemistry departments and the effect it has on students’
performance in chemistry in national examinations. The study was guided by two
objectives; to find out students’ performance in chemistry in K C S E from 2006 to 2009
and to find out whether resources allocated to chemistry departments contribute to
students’ performance in Chemistry in KCSE~ This study adopted descriptive survey
design. A total of 210 students were considered for the study. Six principals of selected
schools were interviewed and ten chemistry teachers were involved in this study. The
primary data was collected by using two sets of structured questionnaires, one for
teachers and another for students~ The interview schedule was administered to
principals of the schools under study. Secondary data was used for literature review. To
determine the sample size, a formula developed by Kathuri and pals (1993) was used to
select the schools for the study, purposive sampling was used~ All teachers of chemistry
in the selected schools under study were involved in the study. This study was wholly
descriptive hence used simple measures of central tendency to analyze the data. The
findings of the study revealed that; students performance in chemistry in KCSE for the
last four years (2006-2009) had been poor, in-service training programme of teachers
was Jacking~ It was found out that students were not adequately exposed to
experiments and field trips~ It also found out that most students came from poor
economic backgrounds. The conclusion drawn indicated that students’ poor
performance in chemistry was affected by poor resource allocation by school
management to chemistry departments. The studies recommend that there is a need
for the ministry of education at large and schools in particular to carry out a detailed
facilities analysis in regard to students’ performance in sciences. It recommends for
further studies to find out other factors affecting poor performance of students in
chemistry at national exams and the relationship between performance in Mathematics
and that of chemistry.
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Abstract is currently available in soft copy
Keywords
Resource allocation, Students’ performance, Tharaka South District