Gender and students' academic achievement in Kiswahili language

Abstract

Gender is one of the key factors influencing students' academic achievement. In Hamisi District, Vihiga County in Kenya, achievement of students in Kiswahili language is poor, yet no comparison has been made between male and female students' achievement in order to assist in determining intervention strategies. The purpose of the study is to establish gender differences in achievement in Kiswahili language based on County Evaluation results of 2011. The study sample was 317 Form 4 students from 32 secondary schools in Hamisi District, Kenya. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Document analysis guide method was used to seek information about students' academic achievement in Kiswahili language. Major findings of the study are; female students outperformed male students on the average. The study also revealed a statistically nonsignificant difference between males and females in achievement in Kiswahili language examination; t (315) =0.79, P= .94. This confirms earlier research that concluded that though there seems to be mean difference between male and female students in achievement, the average gender gap is statistically non significant and thus gender difference in achievement tends to decline with time. The findings of this study are significant to teachers of Kiswahili language and educationists at large. This is because the results will guide teachers of Kiswahili language while coming up with instructional strategies, as they will understand the need to give male and female students exactly the same opportunities and challenges while teaching Kiswahili subject. Male and female students should therefore be motivated equally so as to enhance their academic achievement since academic achievement in Kiswahili language is not gender related.