Parent Related Factors Influencing Learners’ Academic Performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in Igembe North Sub-county, Meru, Kenya.

Abstract

Academic performance in schools has remained low in Kenya national examinations for many years. Public secondary schools in Igembe North sub-county have in past years recorded decline in the national exams and this has raised concerns amongst the many education stakeholders. The major cause of these poor results can be attributed to parents and guardians. This study aimed at investigating the parent related factors that influence academic performance in K.C.S.E in public secondary schools in Igembe North Sub-County. The rationale of this study focused the education gap experienced in public secondary schools due to parent related factors (parent income, parents of education, parental guidance and parents occupation) and analyze how each of the aspects affecting the results could be approached. The descriptive survey design was used whereby interview schedules and questionnaires were administered to students, teachers, and principals to help gather the relevant data. The target population was 3440 individuals. The researcher piloted ten questionnaires to ensure reliability of the collected data. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect and analyze the data. There was a summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations to guide on any future step(s) to be taken in ensuring satisfactory performance and proper parental input. Parents’ income in students’ education, parental level of education, parental guidance and parent’s occupation were all found to influence students’ academic performance in Igembe North Sub-County but in different proportions. This research proposes that incomes of the people should be upgraded by the government, parents should be regularly trained to improve their literacy, parents should engage in their children’s learning activities, and the government should come up with job creation in order to enable its citizen to secure a good job hence accord their children with the best support indoor to improve learner’s performance.