Abstract:
The study explored effects of school based factors on
academic performance in public primary schools in Njiru Sub County. Academic performance is a product of socio-economic
status, psychological and environmental factors. Education in
Kenya plays an important role in every part of life for instance
political, economic and social development. Secondary school
placement and admission depends entirely on the achievement in
the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (K.C.P.E) in
standard eight. Today even sponsorship that children from poor
parents are supposed to benefit is offered according to the
performance in the K.C.P.E results. In Njiru Sub county there has
been a relatively below average academic performance. The
study used a sample of six schools, six headteachers and one
hundred and forty one teachers. The sampling procedure used by
the research was the use of 30% of the target population of 18
headteachers and 470 teachers drawn from schools in Njiru Sub County. The respondents were 6 headteachers and 141 teachers.
Random sampling was used to arrive at schools, and teachers.
The research instruments used were questionnaires, interviews
and observation. The researcher used descriptive survey design
and then adopted mixed methods methodology. The research was
based on the Effective Schools Model Theory. Data collection
was done after obtaining permission from University of
Kabianga and a research permit from NACOSTI. It was also
concluded that majority of the schools in Njiru do not have
enough textbooks which affected their performance. The study
recommends that teachers need to be encouraged to undergo
professional growth which will help them to maintain and
improve their skills on, quality teaching, classroom maintenance
and performance of learners.
