| dc.description.abstract | Performance in national examinations by day primary girls’ schools has been poor in Kenya. The
participation of girls in primary education has been below that of boys for the last five years.
Various interventions have been undertaken to address the gender gaps in the education sector.
Significant achievements have been scored through these initiatives towards improving girls'
access, retention and performance. However, the gender disparities are still wide. It has been
noted that the girl child’s academic performance is generally below average, yet, it is
acknowledged that an educated girl plays a significant role in society as compared to an educated
boy child. The purpose of this study was to establish the factors influencing academic
performance of girl child in public primary schools in Sereolipi Education Zone. The study was
guided by the following objectives: To determine how family background affects academic
performance of girl child in public primary schools; to establish how pupil's characteristics affect
academic performance of the girl child in public primary schools; to establish the effect of
parental involvement on academic performance of girl child in public primary schools; to assess
the influence of school infrastructure on academic performance of girl child in public primary
schools. The researcher employed the descriptive survey and ex post facto designs. The research
was undertaken at Sereolipi Education Zonewhich is located in Samburu East District of
Samburu County. All the 3 schools were used for the study because the target population was so
small that selecting a sample would have been meaningless. The population studied was then
divided into strata comprising of teachers, Parents and girls in class 6, 7 and 8 to get a more
homogeneous sub-population. The researcher then used purposive technique to identify the
teachers to be interviewed. Simple random sampling methods were used to select the Parents and
girls for the study in order to avoid biasness whereby every girl and parent in the study had an
equal chance of participating. Primary data was collected in two ways. First, a questionnaire was
conducted with the pupils and parents. Secondly, interviews were carried out to teachers. The
data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regressions using Statistical Package
for Social Sciences. The study found that Parental involvement influences academic performance
of girl child in public primary schools most followed by pupil's characteristics, Family
background and school infrastructure was influencing academic performance of girl child least.
It was clear that status of the family has the highest effect on academic performance of the girl
child followed by number of siblings, structure of the family, period of time in the current
school, whether the girl is a day scholars and boarders with age of the respondents having the
lowest effect on the academic performance of the girl child.
This study recommends that that the government intervenes to create more awareness on the
need of parental involvement in the education of their children. This can be done by encouraging
teachers under the auspices of education officials to sensitize the parents on the importance of
education for their girls` future and hence the need to get involved in it. The study further
recommends that various forums be organized so as inspire and inculcate the importance of
education of the girl child in Sereolipi education zone. | en |
