Effect of Unit Costs On Students’ Performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examinations in Public Secondary Schools in Vihiga Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

Education contributes to economic growth, enhanced productivity, national and social development, and social equity hence governments and households heavily invest in all forms of education. Despite the heavy expenditure on education by the governments and households, little attention has been given to the unit cost of education of each student and its effect on academic performance. Schools in Vihiga Sub-County charge extra levies besides Ministry of Education(MOE) recommended fee guideline yet the Sub-county still has low KCSE Mean Score of 5.361(C-) which is below the average KCSE Mean Score of 6 (C). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of unit costs on students‘ performance in KCSE examinations in public secondary schools in Vihiga Sub-County. The objectives were; to establish the effect of teacher unit costs, non-teacher unit costs, and school unit costs on students‘ performance in KCSE examinations in Vihiga Sub-County. A conceptual framework which posits that students‘ performance in examination is influenced by teacher unit costs, non-teacher unit costs and school unit costs was used. Ex post facto, descriptive survey and correlation research designs were used. The population consisted of 20 head teachers and 350 teachers in 20 public secondary schools and one Sub-County Director of Education. Saturated sampling method was used to get a sample of 18 head teachers and 307 teachers in 18 public secondary schools and one Sub-County Director of Education. Data was collected using questionnaires, document analysis and interview schedules. The questionnaires were piloted in two schools that did not take part in the actual study to establish reliability. Test retest method was used to estimate the reliability of the instruments. It generated Pearson‘s (r) Coefficients of 8.5, 0.79 and 8.2 for head teachers‘, principal‘s interview schedule and teacher‘s questionnaire respectively. Instruments were validated by experts in the Department of Educational Management and Foundations. Quantitative data collected from the questionnaires and document analysis guide were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of percentages to indicate students‘ enrolment in each school by category and the type of school, and frequency tables to show the rate of responses for each category of questionnaire, and means to get teacher unit costs, non-teacher unit costs and school unit costs, and inferential statistics in form of Pearson‘s Correlation(r) to determine the effect of teacher unit costs, non-teacher unit cost, school unit costs on students‘ performance in KCSE. Qualitative data obtained from interview schedule were analyzed as themes and sub-themes emerged. The null hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study established that there is moderate effect of teacher unit costs on students‘ performance in KCSE examinations, positive effect of non-teacher unit costs and school unit costs on students‘ performance in KCSE examinations in public secondary schools. It was concluded that there is moderate effect of teacher unit costs on students‘ performance in KCSE examinations in public secondary schools; there is significant positive effect of non-teacher unit costs and school unit costs on students‘ performance in KCSE examinations in public secondary schools in Vihiga Sub-County. It was recommended to MOE to ensure programmed teachers‘ salary increments, increase FDSE to schools and encourage more private partners to participate in education. This study gives valuable information to MOE about adequate teachers‘ salaries and education investment by government and households.