The Impact of Gender Differences on Student’s Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in Ndumberi Division, Kiambu County, Kenya in Science Subjects and Languages.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to find out the impact of gender difference on the students’ academic performance in Ndumberi Division, Kiambu County; the study was carried out using five secondary schools. Data sources included head teachers, directors of schools, teachers and students. There were three research questions which were used namely: what is the academic performance of boys and girls? What are the differences in academic performance of boys and girls? What factors lead to differences in academic performance between boys and girls? The study involved (40) students, (30) teachers (05) directors, (05) head teachers making a total sample size of 80 respondents. The teachers and students were randomly selected yet; the head teachers and directors were purposively selected. The data was collected using questionnaires for students, teachers and head teachers and interview guides for directors of studies. Finding revealed that by overall performance, male students performed much better as compared to their female counterparts. At subject level, girls outperformed boys in the languages, while boys led the girls in the sciences. The majority views of students (56%), male teachers (65%), head teachers (76%), and directors (82%) agreed and strongly so that, boys perform better than girls, only a total of 51% of female teachers disagreed and strongly so with this view. There were significant gender differences by overall performance with more boys passing in form 1 and 2 as compared to the girls in the same divisions. At subject level girls attained a higher mean average mark in the languages as compared to the boys. Conversely, boys scored higher mean average in the sciences than girls. There were no gender differences in the views of students although majority agreed on the superior performance of boys, just like the head teachers and directors female and male teachers showed gender differences in their views. Results shows that, teachers, negative attitudes and behaviors and ,time wasting among girls, more reading hours for boys, inadequate facilities, teachers, dissatisfaction and lack of motivation in girls, irregular attendance to school by girls, low persistence and their inferiority complex, were the factors for observed gender differences in the selected school in Kiambu division. Based on the findings, the study recommends that; Training in gender sensitive techniques through workshops for to teachers to change their attitudes and behaviours, Parental involvement, Girls should be taught time management techniques, Government should help schools acquire basic learning facilities.