Relationship between educational resources and pupils’ Academic performance in public primary schools In Kisumu county, Kenya

Abstract

Public primary schools in Kisumu County have been posting low academic performance, for example in 2019 they had an average mean of 259.16 compared to schools in the neighbouring counties of Vihiga (265.38), Nandi (265.59) and Siaya (265.13) Counties. Although academic performance as measured through Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) may be influenced by various factors such as pupils characteristics, parental contribution and school leadership and management, evidence shows that educational resources influence pupils academic performance and hence quality of education. The government has therefore provided these resources in public primary schools, yet Kisumu County has continued to register low academic performance over the past few years. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the educational resources and pupils’ academic performance in K.C.S.E in Kisumu County. The objectives of this study was to: establish the relationship between financial resources and pupils’ academic performance, establish the relationship between human resources and pupils’ academic performance, determine the relationship between physical resources and pupils’ academic performance and determine the relationship between instructional resources and pupils’ academic performance in Kisumu County. The study was guided by the Education Production Function Theory (Deway, Husted and Kenny, 1998).This study used descriptive and correlation research designs. The target population for the study comprised 1Quality Assurance and Standards Officer (QASO), 615 head teachers, 615 senior teachers and 23,464 standard 8 pupils from 615 public primary schools in Kisumu County. Saturated sampling technique was used to select 1 QASO, thereafter, 123 head teachers, 123 senior teachers and 2,413 Std 8 pupils were selected using stratified random sampling technique. Instruments used during data collection were questionnaires, interview schedule, Focus Group Discussion and document analysis guide. Reliability of the instrument were calculated using Cronbach reliability test, which recorded a reliability coefficient of 0.80 for head teachers, 0.78 for senior teachers and 0.698 for class eight pupils. Validity of the instrument was ascertained through expert judgment by the supervisors in the department of education. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in form of percentages, frequency counts and means, while hypotheses were tested using Pearson moment correlation and linear regression (inferential statistics). Qualitative data was organized in categories and reported in emergent themes and sub themes. The study found a strong positive relationship between financial resources, human resources, education physical resources and instructional resources and pupils’ academic performance in Kisumu County, with all relationships statistically significant at (p < 0.05). It was recommended that the government to allocate more funds to enable schools put up more facilities, public primary to be equipped with adequate recent instructional resources and recruitment and posting of more teachers. Policy makers and Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards (DQASO) in the Ministry of Education will use the findings of this study to harmonize public primary education service standard guidelines to quality standards that should be maintained and improved by the head teachers in all primary schools. Educational managers at the county and school level will use the findings of this study to initiate programs aimed at addressing the resource challenges facing public primary schools.