INFLUENCE OF SELECTED SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS ON STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RACHUONYO NORTH SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Students are examined globally at the end of each level of learning cycle. The purpose of examinations is to help learners identify their careers based on performance. Students’ performance in Kenya and by extension in Rachuonyo North Sub County is still dismal; for instance in 2022, only 173,345 out of 421,748 scored C+ and above. This means that only 41.09% scored quality grades required for choosing competitive careers. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which quarrying, fishing, disco “matanga” and early pregnancies influence academic performance of public secondary school students in Rachuonyo North Sub County. The objectives of the study were: To determine the influence of quarrying on academic performance, to establish the influence of fishing on academic performance, to examine the influence of disco “matanga” on academic performance, to determine the influence of early pregnancies on academic performance in students of Rachuonyo North sub-county. The study was based on Walberg’s Theory of Academic Achievement (Walberg & Reynold, 1992).Research design used was descriptive survey. The target population was 1720 form four students, 50 class teachers, 25 teacher counselors, 30 teenage mothers, 25 principals, 10 quarry operators, 3 beach managers and 16 chiefs. The sample size of 325 form four students, 50 class teachers, 25 principals, 25 teacher counselors, 10 quarry operators, 3 beach managers and 16 chiefs totaling to a sample of 484 was used. Sampling procedures included simple random sampling for students and purposive sampling for teacher counselors, class teachers, beach managers, quarry operators and chiefs while teenage mothers were sampled through snowballing. The instruments for data collection were questionnaires and interview schedules. Validity of the research instruments was determined by experts in the faculty of education, while reliability of the instruments was determined using Cronbach alpha. Qualitative data was transcribed and analyzed for content in emergent themes and sub themes. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively into frequencies, percentages, means and further inferentially into t-test. The findings were that quarrying activities influenced academic performance highly with mean rating of 3.66, fishing activities influenced academic performance with mean rating of 3.74, disco “matanga” activities influenced academic performance with mean rating of 3.69 while early pregnancy influenced academic performance with mean rating of 3.73. Conclusion to this study is that quarrying activities, fishing activities, disco “matanga” and related aspects of these activities to early pregnancy highly influence student academic performance. The interview findings from the despondence indicated that quarrying activities, fishing activities, disco matanga activities and early pregnancy related to quarrying activities, fishing activities and disco matanga activities lower the academic performance of student. This study recommended that Principals should use the information to advise teachers and parents on the best methods of handling students affected by quarrying. Labour laws should come up with policies controlling fishing activities among school going children. Chiefs should implement recommendations to bun disco “matanga” which interfere with students’ academic performance. The findings would benefit stakeholders in improving academic performance of students in remote areas, quarrying areas and along the lake basin. The findings will also inform policy formulation and implementation with regard to students’ performance.