Management Of Institution-Based Co-Curricular Activities And Students’ Academic Performance In Public Primary Teachers Training Colleges, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Students’ academic success is a function of several factors that affect one’s ability to stay

connected, motivated and thrive in college. Attempts to address the place of co-curricular

activities in colleges and schools have failed to isolate or explore on the implications of

institution-based co-curricular factors on student academic performance. The study sought

to investigate the influence of institution-based co-curricular factors on students’ academic

performance. Specifically, the study focused on the types of co-curricular activities offered

in colleges; the extent to which college co-curricular policies influence students’

performance; determine the influence of co-curricular facilities and equipment on students’

academic performance; assess the influence of motivational strategies used by college

administration on students’ academic performance; determine the predictive power of the

institution based co-curricular factors on students’ academic performance. The study

adopted Astin’s involvement theory, Zero-Sum theory and Threshold theories for its

theoretical framework. The study employed correlational research design with a target

population of 9,731 second year students in 25 public Primary Teachers Training Colleges

that had presented students for Primary Teacher examinations for at least two years. Using

multi-stage cluster random sampling techniques, systematic and purposive sampling

methods, a sample of 11 colleges, 370 students, 11 principals and 11 games tutors were

selected. Data was collected using three research instruments namely; a semi-structured

questionnaire, focus group discussion guide, and an interview guide that were validated

and adjustments made after the pilot study conducted in one public PTTC that was later

excluded from the main study. Reliability was determined using the test re-test method

with the reliability coefficient calculated using Pearson correlation coefficient that yielded

a score of 0.83. The data was analysed with the aid of IBM Statistical Package for Social

Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Chi square distribution, ANOVA and multiple regression

techniques were used to test the significance levels of the stated hypothesis. Results showed

that policy on number of co-curricular activities had strong negative influence on students’

academic performance (ß = -.71, p =0.05); Policy on time spent on co-curricular activities

had strong negative influence on academic performance (ß = -.18, p =0.05);Policy on types

of co-curricular activities had a strong positive influence on academic performance (ß

=.054, p =0.05); Availability, adequacy and condition of co-curricular facilities and

equipment had positive influence on academic performance (ß =.12, p =0.05). Motivational

strategies used by college administrators had a positive influence on students’ academic

performance (β = .24, p