The Effects Of Gender Issues On The Academic Performance Of Learning In Secondary School

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................... i

APROVAL ................................................................................................................................... ii

DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................ iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................... iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................. v

DEFINITION OF TERMS ............................................................. ............................................ vii

LIST OF TABLES .......... .......................................................................................................... viii

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................ ix

CHAPTER ONE ......... ... ..... ....... ......................... .... .. ... .. .... ..... ... .................... .............................. 1

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................... 1

1.0 introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Statement of the problem ........................................................................................................ 1

1.2 Purpose of the study ................................................................................................................ 1

1.3 Objectives of the study ............................................................................................................ 2

1.4 Researcher Questions .............................. ................ ................................................................ 2

1.5 Significance ofthe study ......................................................................................................... 2

1.6 Scope ofthe study ................................................................................................................... 3

1.6.1 Content scope ....................................................................................................................... 3

Geographical scope ....................................................................................................................... 3

CHAPTER TW0 .. ..... .... ... ......... ................ .. ................ ..... .......... ............. .............. .... .... ......... ..... 4

LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................... ...................................................................... 4

2.0 Introduction ............................................................. ................................................................ 4

2.1 Effect of gender issues on the Academic Performance of learners in schools ....................... .4

2.2 Socio- Economic causes .......................................................................................................... 4

2.3 Socio cultural causes ............................................................................................................... 4

2.4 Teacher's Attitude and Class Interaction ................................................................................ 5

2.5 Gender Biases in Resources .................................................................................................... ?

2.6 The school environment .......................................................................................................... 8

CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................... 9

METHODOLOGY .... .... ... .. ........ .... ............. ................................................................................ 9

3.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 9

3.1 Research Design ...................................................................................................................... 9

3.2 Target population .................................................................................................................... 9

3.3 Sample size ............................................................................... ............................................... 9

3.4 Research procedure ................................................................................................................. 9

3.5 Data collection instruments ................................................................................................... 1 0

3.4.1 Interview ............................................................................................................................. 10

3.4.2 Questionnaires .... ...... ........ ... ... .. ... ..... .. ... .............. .... ......... ... .. .... .... ... ......... .... .. ...... ...... ....... 1 0

3.6 Data Analysis .. .................... .... .............................................................................................. 10

v

3. 7 Limitations ............................................................................................................................. 1 0

CHAPTER FOUR ..................................................................................................................... 11

DATA PRESENTATION ......................................................................................................... 11

4.0. Overview .............................................................................................................................. 11

4.2 Age ........................................................................................................................................ 12

4.3 Class attendance .................................................................................................................... 12

4.4 Encouragement at school. ...................................................................................................... 13

4.5 Parents support in education .................................................................................................. 13

4.6 School environment. .............................................................................................................. 14

4.7 community support ................................................................................................................ 14

4.8 Gender biasness in resources ................................................................................................. 15

4.9 Poverty ................................................................................................................................... 15

4.1 0 sex (teachers) ............... ........................................................................................................ 16

4.11 Age ...................................................................................................................................... 16

4.12 working experience ............................................................................................................. 17

4.13 Academic qualification ........................................................................................................ 17

4.14 Text books ........ ................................................................................................................... 18

4.15 access to the text books ....................................................................................................... 18

4.16 Positive attitudes and interaction towards the learners ....................................................... 19

4.17 Gender biasness in resources ............................................................................................... 19

4.18 Gender friendly environment .............................................................................................. 20

4.19 Community support to girl child education ........................................................................ .20

CHAPTER FIVE ......................................................................................................................... 22

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................ 22

5.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 22

5.1 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 22

5.2 Conclusions .................................................... ....................................................................... 23

5.3 Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 24

Suggestions for further research .................................................................................................. 25

APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................................. 26

QUESTIONNAIRE TO STUDENTS ......................................................................................... 26

APPENDIX B ..................... ......................................................................................................... 27

QUESTIONNAIR TO TEACHERS ........................................................................................... 27

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 29

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of the gender issues on the academic

performance of learners in selected schools of Central division , Trans-Nzoia West west

district, Kenya. Specific objectives of the study were to: examine the impact of gender on

academic performance of learners Central division , Kiambu, Kenya and to examine strategies

used by schools to improve on the academic performance of the girls and boys in Waitaluk

Secondary School west division. The methods used for data collection were face to face

interview, which were carried on with parents, Questionnaires were distributed to students and

teachers. Observation was done on the state of the learners. The fmdings revealed by 70% of

the respondents that gender issues affect the performance of the learner's negatively. 58% of

the respondents also revealed that majority of the learners in the schools are boys. According to

70% of the respondents most of the schools had gender biasness in all the resources used by the

learners. 80% of the respondents revealed that poverty has greatly affected the performance of

the learners. To ensure quality, the study recommended that, the government should step in to

see that all children are taken to school both girls and boys. The parents and the community

should be sensitized on the importance of educating all their children both boys and girls. The

government non-government organizations, publishers and curriculum developers should work

hand in hand to produce gender sensitive books, which will change the attitude and stereotype

thinking.