Assessment on Factors Influencing Performance of Madrasa Schools in Garissa County: a Case Study of Madarasatul Najah and Khadija.

Abstract

Madrasas are designed to teach general competencies and religious competencies as a basis in shaping behaviour and character in education system. It also designed to meet the learners' spiritual requirements first and foremost, and to provide opportunities for them to grow in their faith. This type of education emerged in response to a divine commandment revealed in the Qur’an, and it aims to share and strengthen the learner's knowledge of Islam. In Kenya, Islamic education has created a duality of learning, with modern learning in formal schools and traditional Islamic religious institutions in Qur’anic schools and madrasa. Because of the overwhelming non-Islamic influence in formal schools, parents are anxious that their children would lose their Muslim identity. Unlike the government secular public and private schools, many of the Madrasa learning institutions do not have adequate physical facilities such as permanent buildings and desks. Quite often, Madrasa teachers complain that they do not have enough learning materials such as text books and reliable chalkboards to mention a few. It is a common complaint by most Madrassa teachers (Asaatidha) that latrines are uncommon and they only depend on the ones constructed in mosques. Despite a lot of research that has been done on Madrasa schools there is no comprehensive research on the factors affecting performance of Madrasa schools particularly in Madrasatul Najah and Khadija. The study used a case study of Madrasatul Najah and Khadija to look at the factors that influence Madrasa performance. The study’s specific objectives were to look into cultural factors that influence Madrasa performance, as well as to see how interpersonal conflict affects Madrasa performance and how instructors' training affects Madrasa performance. The researcher used a descriptive survey design. The study's target population included 20 teachers, two principals, and 200 students from the two schools. The method adopted by the researcher was random sampling. The researcher chose 5 teachers and 40 students from each group, representing 25% and 20% of the population respectively, using simple random sampling. One head teacher was chosen from each of the two schools for this study. Two questionnaires, as well as an interview guide for the two head teachers, were utilized to collect data from the students and the teachers. Descriptive statistics were examined to evaluate qualitative data using SPSS software, while narratives and descriptions were examined to study qualitative data using narratives and descriptions. Major findings from the study imply that inadequate learning and teaching resources, affect their academic performance immensely. The study also established that, negative attitude and poor teaching methodology also influences academic performance of the Madrasa schools to a great extent. the researcher also established that the long distance covered to the madrasa school also influences academic performance. Further, the study established that early marriages also do affect the academic performance of Madrasa schools. The researcher recommends that, the teachers should work in collaboration with the local authority to discourage early marriages, the school head teachers should ensure that their teachers do receive training on how to handle students in the Madrasa schools. Finally, the study recommends a comparable study on the extent and impact of parental involvement in school activities on learners' academic performance in newly formed madrasa schools.