Factors affecting pupil academic performance at grade twelve (12) level of selected grant-aided secondary schools in Zambia.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to identify the factors affecting pupil academic performance of the selected high and low performing grant-aided secondary schools in Southern Province of Zambia at Grade 12 level for the five-year period from 2011 – 2015. The objectives of the study were to identify factors accounting for constant high and constant low pupil academic performance among the schools in the sample and to identify the measures that have been put in place to improve performance in low performing grant-aided selected secondary schools. The study used a descriptive survey design and both qualitative and quantitative techniques to collect data. Two (2) high performing and two (2) low performing schools were sampled. The sample size was 135 comprising school proprietors, District Education Standard Officers, head teachers, deputy head teachers, heads of department, classroom teachers and Grade 12 pupils. The data was collected through self-administered questionnaires, interview schedules, FGDs and document review and was analysed thematically. The study revealed that the excellent performance of the two high performing schools could be attributed to factors like the availability of constant proprietor support, competent administrators and availability of adequate infrastructure, while low academic performance of the low performing schools was attributed to inconsistent proprietor support, and incompetent administrators, among others. The study concluded that the variations in the pupil academic performance in the selected grant- aided secondary schools hinged mainly on the instrumentality of the proprietors and competences of the administrators. The study recommended that proprietors should constantly support the schools. They own and thoroughly scrutinize personnel recommended for administrative roles.