| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to assess the factors influencing performance of
girl child in public primary schools in Isinya district. The specific objectives of the
study were as follows: To assess the influence of cultural and traditional practices on
girls’ performance, to determine the extent to which family background has
influenced girls performance, to investigate how within school factors have
influenced girls performance, to assess how early sexual maturation of girls has
influenced their performance and investigate how they have influenced performance
of girls. This study adopted a descriptive survey design; since it enabled the
researcher to collect data from a wide area in a short time. This study, dealt with
present relationship of variables and process taking place in the study area. Finally, it
examined the effects that will be going on at the particular time, and the attitude held
by respondents who were cross-examined. The study was carried out in Isinya
District- Kajiado County. It targeted 15 primary schools, 15 head teachers, 15
chairpersons of schools and 300 standard seven and eight girls in Kitengela Division.
All 15 schools were involved in the study. The entire population of 15 head teachers
and 15 chairpersons were selected for the study since they gave credible information
related to study objectives. The study found out that the following as the factors that
respondents thought influenced girls` performance to include forced marriages,
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), parents’ negative attitude towards education,
gender division of lobour, late enrolment, forced repetition, poverty, early maturation,
cultural beliefs, lack of role models, harassment by boys and teachers, lack of
inadequate teaching materials, teenage pregnancies, environmental and natural factors
among others. Others were family environment which impinges on curriculum,
quality of school practices, the level of parental education of the family, high income
and conducive home environment, considered social status, interests and attitudes of
the parents among many others. The study recommends that there is urgent need by
the government to: increase girls’ access to primary and secondary education, alter
representations of women and girls in the curriculum and increase the number of
female teachers countywide. Improving girls` access to education and ensuring they
perform in examinations, with the goal of attaining gender equality is a critical
component of promoting development. The government should improve policy,
management and learning environment to make them more gender friendly, continue
to promote better stakeholder understanding of the importance of girls education. Due
to lack of enough time and resources, it is therefore recommended that further
research be undertaken on the following areas; the influence of the economic factors
on girls` performance and how the government can improve on economic wellbeing
of parents, the impact of the Free primary education on the performance of girls and
to establish whether the government is doing enough to improve on enough in
ensuring girls improve they performance. | en |
