School of Education

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Browsing School of Education by Author "Okwach, Tonny O."

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    INFLUENCE OF TEACHER RELATED FACTORS ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN KISWAHILI COMPOSITION IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KISUMU WEST SUB-COUNTY, KENYA
    (European Journal of Education studies, 2019) Murunga, Zainab A.; Indoshi, Francis C.; Okwach, Tonny O.
    Composition writing helps learners to acquire writing skills. However, students’ performance in Kiswahili composition at the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination shows that national performance has been fluctuating with a mean of 14.20 in 2008, 15.40 in 2009, 14.32 in 2010, 16.43 in 2011 and 10.43 in 2012out of 40 marks. From year 2008 to 2012, Kisumu West Sub-County students’ performance in the Joint Evaluation Test (JET) shows that performance was lower compared to other sub counties in Kisumu County with a mean of 11.20 which was below the county mean of 13.49. Although studies have established that teachers are key determinants of performance, students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition has remained below average in public secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub-County. The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of teacher related factors on students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition in public secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub-County, Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey and correlation designs. Target population was 1622 Form 4 students, 54 teachers of Kiswahili Language, 33 Heads of Department (HOD) and 1 Sub-County Curriculum Support Officer (SCCSO). Purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 48 teachers, 29 HOD and 1 SCCSO. Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) formula was used to select a sample of 310 Form 4 students. Teacher and student questionnaire, HOD/SCCSO interview schedule and Kiswahili composition test were used for data collection. The study found a positive strong relationship between teacher related factors (R=.518* , p=.000) and students’ academic performance. It was concluded that an improvement in teacher related factors increased students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition. The study therefore recommends that teachers should be constantly engaged in refresher courses, seminars and symposia to update their skills on Kiswahili language pedagogy so as to improve students’ academic performance.
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    LEARNERS’ ATTITUDE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING OF KISWAHILI IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES
    (European Journal of Education Studies, 2019) Mutheu, Wambua A.; Okwach, Tonny O.; Indoshi, Francis C.; Amukowa, Deborah N.
    Existing studies indicate that increasing effectiveness in teaching and learning positively influence performance. However, challenges may diminish effectiveness in teaching and learning leading to poor performance. The study focused on challenges in relation to learners’ attitude towards Kiswahili and the strategies for coping with the challenges in teaching of Kiswahili in public secondary schools in Hamisi Sub-county, Vihiga County, Kenya. Study population was 4,106 form four students, 139 Kiswahili teachers, 47 principals and 1 Quality Assurance and Standards Officer. Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) formula was used to select a sample of 351 form four students and purposive sampling was used to select 42 form four teachers of Kiswahili. Saturated sampling technique was used to select 42 principals and 1 QASO. In this study questionnaires and interview schedule were used in data collection. Quantitative data was analysed by descriptive statistics involving frequencies, means and percentages and presented on tables. Qualitative data was categorized into themes and reported in verbatim excerpts. Learners had positive attitude towards objectives and content at mean ratings of 3.02 and 2.94 respectively. However, learners had challenges in teaching methods and evaluation techniques. They had negative attitude towards teaching methods and evaluation techniques at mean ratings of 2.44 and 2.34 respectively. The main strategy for coping with these challenges was speaking Kiswahili on specific days highly applied at 3.22. Motivational speeches and rewards as well as encouraging wide reading were lowly applied at 2.45 and 2.43 respectively. Other strategies that emerged from the study were use of Kiswahili clubs, discouraging learners from listening to adulterated Kiswahili and making Kiswahili lessons interesting. In conclusions, though the overall learners’ attitude towards objectives and content is positive, they have negative attitude towards teaching methods and evaluation techniques. Schools have various strategies for coping with the challenges applied at different extents. The study recommends that schools endeavor to inculcate positive attitude among learners towards teaching methods and evaluation procedures by making them learner centered and properly guiding them in these activities. Teachers need to expose learners to a variety of teaching methods and evaluation techniques and provide timely feedback. This will make learners more enthusiastic and confident and in turn improve performance. The study findings may benefit teachers, scholars, curriculum developers, policy makers and other interested parties in understanding the challenges in relation to learners’ attitude, adopting and strengthening the strategies as well as seeking solutions to the challenges in order to improve the teaching and learning process