Factors influencing performance of students in private primary teacher training colleges in Kenya
Abstract
Teaching is one of the oldest professions and it has evolved to what it is today.
Poor performance is a concern since the government of Kenya has allowed private
educational institutions to provide quality education yet this has not been fully
achieved. The purpose In this study was therefore to investigate factors
influencing academic performance of private teacher training colleges in Kenya.
Five objectives and research questions were formulated to guide the study. A
descriptive survey design was adopted. The researcher targeted all the II
registered private TTCs in Kenya. The target population constituted the sample,
where one college was used for pre-testing of the study. Simple random sampling
was used to select the colleges. Research instruments used in this study included
questionnaires for tutors and students, and an observation schedule.
Findings revealed that most of the colleges did not have adequate physical
facilities such as dormitories, staffrooms, laboratories, libraries, a dining hall
capable of accommodating many students at a time, departmental offices. It was
also revealed that most colleges did not have adequate teaching and learning
materials such as tutors reference boeks, students text books, charts, audio tapes,
visual tapes and stationeries.
Findings further revealed that tutor related factors such as training, teaching load,
preparation of professional documents such as schemes of work, lesson plans,
records of work, and progress records had an influence on students performance.
The study established that students' characteristics such as attitude towards the
teacher training, involvement in many college programmes which denied them
study time, were some of the factors that contributed to poor performance. The
study also revealed that lack of supervision and inspection affected students'
performance. For example, the dean of curriculum did not frequently check tutors
preparation of professional documents; the QASO did not often visit the colleges
for inspection
Based on the findings it was concluded that lack of adequate physical facilities
such as dormitories, staffrooms, laboratories, libraries, dining halls capable of
accommodating many students at a time, affected students' performance. It was
also concluded that lack of adequate teaching and learning materials such as
tutors' reference books, students text books, charts, audio tapes, visual tapes and
stationeries affected students' performance. The study also concluded that tutor
related factors such as lack of training, large teaching load, failure to prepare
professional documents such as schemes of work, lesson plans, records of work,
and progress records had affected students' performance. The study also
concluded that students' attitude towards teacher training, lack of time for study
and revision due to many programmes in the college affected their performance.
The study finally concluded that lack of adequate supervision and inspection
affected students' performance.
Based on the findings it was recommended that private college management
should ensure that the necessary physical facilities are provided so as to enhance
learning in the colleges. That college proprietor should ensure that the necessary
teaching and learning materials and resources are provided to the tutors and
students to enhance learning which could eventually improve performance. That
the government through the government through the MoE should ensure that
constant inspection and supervision is done so as to maintain the required
standards in the private colleges. The college administration should be involved in
constant supervision of curriculum implementation by making sure that tutors
prepare well for teaching and that standards are maintained. The study made the
following suggestions for further research: Determine if there is relationship
between tutor qualification, training and student performance; establish effect of
student attitude towards teacher training on their academic performance and
relationship between students' performance in KCSE and PTE
Citation
Masters thesis University of Nairobi (2009)Publisher
University of Nairobi. Department of Education
Description
Degree of Master of Education in Curriculum Studies