| dc.description.abstract | The main objective of psycho-social development is to promote student awareness and life skills development around a variety of issues that affect health and well-being. With the Vision 2030 singling out education and training as the vehicle that will drive Kenya into becoming a middle- income economy; emphasis has been especially laid on the quality of education offered vis-à-vis the quality of life achieved by the learner. The objectives sought to determine how cognitive development through psycho-social development project influences students‟ academic performance in Kirinyaga Central Sub- County, to determine how physical development through psycho-social development project influences students‟ academic performance in Kirinyaga Central Sub- County, to determine how co-curricular activities through psycho-social development project influences students‟ academic performance in Kirinyaga Central Sub- County, to determine how intelligence quotient boosters through psycho-social development project influences students‟ academic performance in Kirinyaga Central Sub- County. The study used the quantitative design employing a causal comparative research design to establish the cause and effect between the variables. The target population of the study was 800 respondents with 10 percent (80 people) of the number being the sample size. A sample of 80 respondents was picked using stratified random sampling and quota sampling. Questionnaire and interview methods were used for data collection. Data was coded; tabulated and analyzed using correlation by Microsoft Excel based on the study objectives. Descriptive statistics were computed and study findings presented using percentages and tables and interpretations. A number of sponsors and educators, future scholars and other stakeholders were used to come up with psycho-social development initiatives and programs to benefit the students in Kirinyaga Central Sub-County and spread countrywide. The study showed that psycho-social development does influence students‟ academic performance in public high schools. Out of 80 respondents, 56 respondents (70%) of the respondents indicated that cognitive development played a key role in the application of concepts taught. It was observed that physical development does influence the performing of tasks as indicated by 65 respondents (81.25%). Half the respondents (40%) indicated that co-curricular activities were beneficial to academics and they supported their observations with examples of the activities. Intelligence quotient boosters as indicated were seen to be vital in students‟ academic performance with 73 respondents (91.25%) agreeing to the notion that positive habits do increase the intelligence levels of an individual. The information generated will be of use to the Ministry of Education for purposes of incorporating a better system of psycho-social development education in schools. It is also of vital importance to future scholars and other stakeholders to come up with better approaches towards psycho-social learning. | en_US |
