Factors Contributing to Poor Academic Performance in Community Secondary Schools in Nanyumbu District, Tanzania

Malekano, Ahabu M. (2018) Factors Contributing to Poor Academic Performance in Community Secondary Schools in Nanyumbu District, Tanzania. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

This study investigated the factors contributing to poor academic performance in community secondary schools in Nanyumbu district, Tanzania. The objectives were: to examine if inadequate teachers, lack of infrastructures and poor parents involvement contributed to poor performance of students in Nanyumbu community secondary schools. The study employed mixed research approach and cross-section research design whereby questionnaires, interview and documentary guide were used as data collection instruments.The instruments were validated by pilot testing them before put into action. A sample of 116 participants engaged in the study out of which 6 were heads of schools, 52 teachers and 58 students. The data collected were collected and analyzed by SPSS and excel computer programs. The findings indicated that there were excess number of teachers in Nanyumbu district compared to students since the average teacher-students; the available ratio of is 1:9 which is very far below the normal ratio of 1:40. The study also revealed that, students perform poorly in academics due to shortage of infrastructures including teachers` houses and students’ hostels. 80% of the participants said that hostels were missing and 100% declared that there was a shortage of teachers` houses. Poor parent involvement was found to contribute to poor students academic performance as 64.3% of the respondents said that parents did not inspect their exercise books when they went back home from school. The study recommends that the community and the government should build more teachers houses and hostels for students. Also parents should participate in the construction of infrastructures as well as take trouble to inspect the child`s exercise books regularly so as to improve their performance.

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