The environmental factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

 

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

4.0 Introduction

This chapter is divided into three sections. The first section covers the demographic information’s of the resoondens.The second covers the presentation and analysis of the data obtained in the field. The last section discusses the research results.

4.1 Demographic in formations

This section present the information of the respondents involved in the study. The sex, age and level of education are discussed here.

 4.1.1 Sex

This study involves both female and male respondents presented in the table 4.1.1

Category	Frequency	Percentage
Male	26	57.8%
Female	19	42.2%
Total	45	100%

26 respondents which are equal to 57.8% of all respondents were male. This is because in many schools the male teachers are many compared to the number of female teachers, for example at Ziwani secondary school the number of teachers is 18 but the female teacher is only 5 teachers. Due to this led to the number of male to be high compared to the female.

4.1.2 Age

This study involved respondents of different age groups as presented in the table 4.1.2

Age group	Frequency	Percentage
15 _ 25	20	44.4%
26 _ 35	12	26.7%
36 _ 45	8	17.8%
46 _ 55	4	8.9%
56 _ 65	1	2.2%
66 and above	0	0%
Total	45	100%

20 respondents which is equal to 44.4% of all respondents fall and the age 15 _ 25 age category. This is due to the high number of the respondents was the students compared to the number of other respondents who were teachers, parents and educational officer.

4.1.3 Level of education

The study involved the respondents of different age groups as presented in the table below.

Level of education	Frequency	Percentage
Certificate	0	0%
Diploma	6	30%
Degree	14	70%
Masters	0	0%
Total	20	100%

 

14 respondents which is equal to 70% of the respondents were at degree level of education. Included in level education. The researcher use the level of education to the teachers and educational officer in order to get the reliable information compared to the students and parents.

4.2 The data presentation and analysis.

This section presents and analyses data collected from selected secondary school namely Ziwani, Ndumbwe, Msimbati and Nanguruwe secondary schools.

The presentation and analysis of data was conducted in line with specific objectives

4.2.1 The environmental factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

This objective intended to investigate factors for poor academic performance in ward secondary schools. The environment under which the process of teaching and learning is carried out has a big impact on the performance of students. This information from the respondents with regard to the environment under which the environmental factors are presented in the table 4.2.1

The environmental factors for poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.	Number of respondents	Percentage
Distance	15	33.3%
Poor  school infrastructures	6	13.3%
Lack of enough teaching and learning materials	10	22.2%
Shortage of teachers	8	17.7%
Lack of motivation to students	6	13.3%
Total	45	100%

 

Figure 4.2.2 The environmental factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

Sources: (field 2021)

When respondents were asked about the environmental that influence poor academic performance among of students in ward secondary schools. 33.3 %( N _ 15) argued that distance from school is the one of major factor.

 One of respondent had the following say about a distance factor

"   Baadhi ya wanafunzi wanaishi kilometa kumi kutoka shuleni.Hivyo

                          Wanatembea kilometa 10 kuja shuleni na kumi kurudi nyumbani.

                          Matokeo mtoto anakuwa amechoka na anashindwa kuzingatia masomo

                           Na hii inapelekea watoto wengi wanafel mitihani yao "

 

English translation

"Some of the students live 10 kilometers from the school. So the walking

                           10 kilometers to come to school and 10 kilometers to back home. The

                           The quensequence of this is children become tired and fail to

                           concentrate on their studies. Due to this leads to the poor

                           performance in there exams"

The implications of this are that, the introduction of ward secondary school in each ward leads to the increase in the enrollment of both girls and boys in secondary schools. Due to this the walking long distance stills a problem because some of the schools are located far away from homes of the students. The students using many kilometers to move from school to home, this affects them in learning because they tired and fail to concentrate on their studies. So this lead to the poor performance in their exams

The other factor is lack of enough teaching and learning materials. This argued by 10 respondents which is equal to 22.2% of the all respondents that is the one of the environmental factor that influences poor performance of the students in ward secondary schools.

  One of the respondents has the following say on lack of enough teaching and learning materials.

                            In this school, there is no enough teaching and learning materials which

                            Used in learning process. There is no enough libraries, text book, maps

                            and midels which student and teacher used in classroom situation.Due

                             to this the learner fail to archive the goals in the learning process. So

                            they perform very badly in their exams.

The implication of this is that, in most of the ward secondary schools there is no enough teaching and learning materials which can be  used by the teachers and learners in the learning process in order to archive the objectives in the classroom. So the absence of this leads to poor academic performance in ward secondary schools

Also when the respondents asked on the environmental factors that influence poorlr academic performance in ward secondary schools. 17.7% which is equal to 8respondents argued that shortage of teachers is the one of the factors

  One of the respondents have the following say on the shortage of teachers

" Tuna tatizo la upungufu wa walimu katika baathi ya masomo katika

                              Shule yetu. Hapa kuna mwalimu mmoja wa someone la bailojia

                              ambaye peke yake anafundisha kuanzia kidato cha kwanza mpaka cha

                              nne. Hivy anatumia nguvu nyingi kufundisha lakini kuna baadhi ya

                              Vipindi nashindwa kuingia kutokana na uchovu. Kwahiyo kuna baadhi

                              ya maada anashindwa kumaliza kwauda muafaka na hivyo kupelekea

                            Wanatunzi kufanya vibaya kwenye mitihani yao.

English translation

" We have the problem of the shortage of teachers in some subjects in

                             our school. Here there is only one teacher who tought biology subjects

                              Form one up to form four.So he use many energy to tought the

                             students but some time failed to tought all periods because she

                            become tired.  Due this the students fail to cover all module and

                           this leads to the poor performance in their exams"

The implication of this is that in many ward secondary schools there shortage of teachers especially science subjects teachers. Due to this influence poor academic performance ward secondary schools because students do not covers all modules before their final exams.

Finally, there are other factor like lack of motivation and poor school infrastructures which argued by the 26.6% which is equal to 12 respondents of the all respondents. When they asked about the environmental factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

4.2.2 The social-cultural factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary Schools

This objective intended to investigate the social-cultural factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools. The information from the respondents with regard to social-cultural practice which affected the students performance are present in the table below.

 

 

 

 

The social-cultural factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary Schools	Number of respondents	Percentage
Jando and unyago	20	44.4%
Poor beliefs	10	22.2%
Poverty	15	33.3%
Total	45	100%

Source : (Field 2021)

Figure 4.2.2 The social-cultural factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary Schools

 

 

 

 

Source : (Field 2021)

When the respondents asked on the social-cultural factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary school. 44.4% ( No_ 20) respondents argued on the Jando and Unyago as the major factor that influence poor performance to the students

   One of the respondent sayed on the Jando and Unyago

                           Katika jamii yetu watoto wanafanyiwa Jando na Unyago wakiwa katika

                         Katika umri mdogo. Hi inapelekea wanajiingiza kaitka mahusiano ya

                         Was kimapenzi na wengine kuolewa kabla ya muda.Hivyo inapelekea

                        Kufanya vibaya katika masoma yao na kuacha shule, hivyo inapeleke

                         Matokeo mabaya katika mitihani yao

English translation

                          In our society jando and Unyago practiced to childrens still

                          they are young. This influence them to engage in sexual relationship

                          and other get early marriage, so due this affect their studies this leads

                           to the poor academic performance in their exams.

The implications of this is that the traditional practices such as Jando and Unyago ceremonies practices in the society influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools because affect the students in learning because conducted to the children until they still young.

 The other factor is poverty; this is argued by the 15 respondents which is equal to the 33.3% of the all respondents that is the social- cultural factor that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

   One of the respondents sayed on the poverty factor

" Most of the parents in this society depend on the small scale

                                 Farming with low income. Due to this the some parents failed

                                 to provide the basic need to the students like money fo buying books

                                 exercises and other materials used for learning in classroom

                                 situation. So leads to the poor performance of the student in exams.

The implications of this is that, since the introduction of ward secondary schools in each ward and the introduction of free education in order to increase the number of enrollment of  girls and boys in secondary school. There are still the problem due to the poverty some parents failed to provide the some  basic needs to their children’s which leads to some of students fail to concentrate on studies and led to poor academic performance in ward secondary.

" ......... Siwezi kuendelea kuwapeleka wanangu shule kwasababu kuna mambo yakishirikina  yanaendelea hapa kijijini kwetu, ........ Mwaka jana mwanangu mwanahamisi amelogwa haoni mpaka saivi, amelogwa na wanakijiji wa hapo kwasababu alikuwa anashika nafasi ya kwanza darasani, saivi nina mwanangu wakike yupo darasa la sita hata akifaulu siwezi kumpeleka sekondari bora aolewe tu nipate mahali kuliko kupoteza hela zangu bure"

Translation in English

"..........I can no longer continue to pay send my children to school because there are witchcraft in our village,.........in last year my daughter with the people in our village Mwanahamisi witched and until now have the problem on eye vision, because she had been taking the first position in the class during exam, now I have another daughter standard six, I will never sent her to secondary school it is batter to marry her to somebody for economic gain rather than to lose money"

4.2.3 The strategies to overcome the environmental and social-cultural factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

This objective seeks to investigate on the strategies that could be employed to overcome the environmental and social-cultural factors that influence poor performance in ward secondary schools. The information from the respondents with regard to this are presented in table.

The strategies to overcome environmental and social-cultural factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools	Number of respondents	Percentage
Improvement of school infrastructures	12	26.6%
Provision of education to the parents	11	24.4%
Provision of enough teaching and learning materials	10	22.2%
Motivation to the students	7	15.6%
Provision of enough teachers	5	11.1%
Total	45	100%

Source : (Field 2021

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 4.2.3 The distribution of the strategies to overcome poor academic performance in ward secondary schools

Source: Field 2021

When the respondents were asked about the strategies that could be employed to overcome come the factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools, 27% which is equal to the 12 respondents argued on the improvement of school infrastructures as the best way to solve this problem.

" Ili kukabiliana na hii changamoto ya kufeli kwa wanafunzi. Serikali

                               Pamoja na wananchi wanatakiwa kushirikiana katika kuboresha

                             Miundombinu ya hapa shuleni. Ikiwemo kuongeza vyumba vya

                            Madarasa, mabweni na nyumba za walimu ili kurahisha wanafunzi

                            Pamoja na walimu kutotumia muda mrefu kutembea kufika shuleni

                           na kurudi nyumbani. Hi itasaidia kupunguza hili tatizo

English translation

                           In order to solve this problem of poor performance bof the students.

                          The government band communities should cooperate on improving

                         the school infrastructures. To build enough classes, hostels, and teachers

                         houses in order to minimize the long walking distance from home to

                         school. This can be best way to solve the problem.

The implications of this is that, government and communities should pray part on improving the school infrastructures like building enough classes hostels, laboratories and teachers houses especially in ward secondary schools. This will help to solve the problem of poor performance among the students in their exams.

Also 24.4% which is equal to the 11 respondents argued that the provision of education to the parents could be the strategy to overcome the poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

  One of the respondents have the following say on this

" Education should be provided to the society. There are some parents

                          believe in traditional practices and poor beliefs like in witchcraft. they

                          that their children witched in the school when they perfoming well in

                          their exam. Also other use children as a source of economic gain like

                          Like girls for early marriage. Due to this there is a need to provide

                          education as the means of solving this problem"

Other strategies are like provision of motivation, enough teachers, teaching and learning materials, also argued by the respondents that could be the best strategies to overcome poor academic performance in ward secondary school. The implications of this is that government should pray part on providing enough teaching and learning materials, and the enough teachers especially science subjects teachers as well as motivation to the students is very important. Due to this problem can be solved.

4.3 Discussion of Research Result

This section discusses the research results. The discussion was Carried out in line with specific objectives includes environmental factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools, the social-cultural factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools and the strategies that employed to overcome environmental and social-cultural factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools in Mtwara Rural District.

4.3.1 The environmental factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

This objective seeks to discuss the environmental factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools. This includes distances, poor schools infrastructures, lack of enough teaching and learning and shortage of teachers as well as lack of motivation to the students.

Distance

The distance from the home to school identified as the environmental factors for poor academic performance in ward secondary schools. Many school allocated far away from their home. So this revealed that distance traveled by students from home to school correlated positively with the performance of the students. The researcher elaborate further that most of students were affected by distance which made them use most of their time on travelling than learning. Therefore the walking distance as it has been identified by several researchers like Adepoju and Olaninyi (2003) it   appears to be a common factor for poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

4.1.2 Poor school infrastructures.

The poor school infrastructures such as classes, libraries, laboratories, hostels and teachers houses also influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools. Housing conditions for secondary teachers are generally poor, this frustrating and undermine the teachers morale. Also the poor infrastructures like libraries, classes and laboratories influence poor academic performance of the students because the students they are not comfortable in learning. This study supported by World Bank (2000) revealed that around one-third of rural teachers lived near school compared to three- quarters of urban teachers. Also Rajabu (2006) disclosed that wherever possible schools need libraries, laboratories and basic equipment. He also adds that every secondary school therefore requires at least consuming costly and tiring.

4.1.3 Lack of enough teaching and learning materials

The absence of enough teaching and learning materials such as maps black board, models and text books which used by teachers and students in order to archive a certain objectives in classroom situation can influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools. This materials is important because help that students to see, touch, hear and smell, in doing so they are able to conceive abstract information from concept practice like skills and draw some conclusion out of what they are handling. The teachers materials include audio (that we can hear only) or can printed (text books charts) or non-printed (real objects and machine). Osokoye (1996) noted that teacher’s method of teaching and learning in the classroom situation influence student’s performance

4.1.4 Shortage of teachers

The shortage of teachers especially science subject teachers it is the big challenge in ward secondary schools. This situation affected the quality of education because the students they do not thought those subjects according to the school curriculum and syllabus, so this leads to the students to perform badly in final examination which leads to poor academic performance in ward secondary schools. According to Nyaki (2006) also pointed at the shortage of teachers especially in science subjects as the one of the major problem facing secondary schools especially ward secondary schools with proper teaching qualifications quencequence

4.1.5 Lack of motivation to the students

The lacks of motivation to the students also influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools. The students need motivation in learning process such as giving his or her gift when pass exam, carping hands to ones who answered questions in the classroom situation and by using different talents in the classroom like dancing and singing in order to influence the students to study hard and perform well in their exams. So the lack of motivation to the students leads to the poor performance in ward secondary schools.

4.2 The social-cultural factors that influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

This objective intended to discuss on the social-cultural factors that influence poor performance of the students. It includes Jando and unyago, poverty and poor beliefs.

4.2.1 Jando and Ungago

This is the one of the social-cultural factor that influences poor academic performance in ward secondary school in Mtwara Rural Districts. According to Bendera (1997) children’s especially girls taught on how to care their husbands, due to this interfere with their education. The jando and unyago which goes with the ceremonies leads to the most of the girls to engage in early marriage and drop out the school and other engaging in sexual relationship before the adult wood. So due to this affect the performance of the students and leads to the poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

4.2.2 Poverty

This is the one of the social-cultural- cultural factor which influences poor academic performance in ward secondary schools in Mtwara Rural District. The gap between the majority of children from low income families and their more affluent peers had widened ( Knapp, 2001 : Thomson & Haris, 2004). The economic hardships of the most families failed to provide the basic needs of their children’s especially the money for accommodation and money to buy the materials used in learning such as books exercises book which help them to increase their skills in their studies. Also the some parents failed to sent their children to hostel is in order to have enough time to study hard rather than walking long distance from their home which affected them in their studies and leading to the poor performance in their exams which leads to the poor academic performance in ward secondary schools.

4.2.3 Poor Believes

Poor believes in the societies influence poor academic performance in ward secondary schools in Mtwara Rural District. Due to this most of the parents have the poor believe toward the education to the girls because they use them as the source of economic gain rather than sending them to the school because education is the basic human right so everyone has the right to archive it. In other side the some parents believes on witch craft, there is some parents do not send their children to the school by fearing the magic power which can kill their children when they performing very well in their studies

4.3.1 Improvement of school infrastructures

The improvements of school infrastructures such as building the enough classes, hostels, libraries, laboratories and the good housing of the teachers can help to overcome the poor academic performance in ward secondary schools. Rajabu (2006) disclosed that wherever possible schools need libraries, laboratories and basic equipment in learning. The school infrastructures should be improved in order to avoid the long walking distance among the students and teachers so as to increase morale to them in the classroom situations and archive their goals. Also the improvements of libraries and laboratories paved the greater way of the students and teachers to increase their knowledge and skills especially to the students which use it for more studies and improve the performance in their exams which can leads to the good performance in ward secondary schools.

 

 4.3.2 Provision of education to the parents

 In Mtwara Rural District there is the need of the provision of education to the parents on the poor traditional beliefs especially on the witchcraft and traditional practices which found in their society. The provision of education about the importance of education for the future life of their students can be used as the way to overcome poor academic performance in ward secondary school rather than to leave their children’s in their home for early marriage and fearing witchcraft which is poor believes.

4.3.3 Provision of enough teaching and learning materials

The provision enough teaching and learning materials used by teachers and students in order to archive a certain objectives in the classroom situation such as maps, models board and text books. Osokoye (1996) noted that teachers method of teaching and learning influence students performance. This materials are important hence help the students to see, touch, hear, smell and fest, in doing so they are able to conceive abstract information from concept practice like skills and draw some conclusion out of what they are handling. Also the teacher materials can be audio ( what we can hear o tonly) or presented such as text books charts or non presented (real objects).The provision of those teaching and learning materials can help to overcome poor academic performance in ward secondary schools in Mtwara Rural District

4.3.4 Provision of Motivation to the Students

In order to improve the academic performance in any school the motivation to the students it is very important because it help students to study very hard and performance very well in exam. Motivation stimulates or gives the morality to the students hence increase the academic performance in the exams. In the classroom the teachers should apply different techniques in the class during and after of classroom situation in order to influence them to have good morale and love the period by giving them gifts, crapping hands to those who performed well in the examination result or who answer collect answer, this can stimuli the other to increase the power by studying very hard in order to fight gifts and other thing. According to Mosha (2010) qualified teachers motivate students through different means in classroom situation. Due to the Provision of motivation can help to overcome the factors for poor academic performance in ward secondary schools

4.3.5 Provision of enough teachers

In order to overcome the poor academic performance in ward secondary schools the provision of enough teachers in ward secondary schools it very important especially science subjects teachers. Cotin and Rossimiller (1997) requested developing countries to give a great and ideal of attention to the task of recruiting, preparing and retaining competent teachers. Due to this the government have the roleincreasing the number of teachers in ward secondary schools especially science subjects teachers who can taught biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics, because the performance is very badly in science subjects compared to arts subjects but also in arts there some students who performed very poor and this leads to poor performance. In order to overcome the problem of poor academic performance in ward secondary schools there is the need to provide the enough teachers in those schools.