Education

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Browsing Education by Subject "Academic achievement"

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    The influence of broken homes on pupill academic performance in selected schools in mbala district: lessons for school managers
    (2013-05-03) Kasoma, Frank
    The study investigated the influence of broken homes on pupil academic performance in selected schools of Mbala District. The study aimed at determining the extent to which broken homes influenced the performance of pupils in schools. A case study design was used which combined qualitative and quantitative techniques of data collection and analysis. However, the study was more inclined to the qualitative research paradigm. The target population comprised teachers, pupils and school administrators. Other informants included Education Standards Officers, Provincial Education Officer and Civil Society Organisations. Purposive sampling procedures were used for the ninety-one (91) respondents who participated in the study. Data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, in-depth interviews and analysis of documents. Qualitative data were analysed thematically through identification of themes and sub-themes that emerged. Basic descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and tables were used in the analysis of quantitative data. The study found that broken homes contributed to poor pupil performance in most cases. Differences were found in performance with pupils from unbroken families out performing pupils from broken families in the subjects they were tested. The study noted that pupils from broken families’ experienced a lot of emotional difficulties as they tried to cope with changes brought about by their parents divorce or separation. However, it was noted that not all children from broken families performed poorly in class. The study found that the home environment was critical in the academic performance of pupils, as learning whether at home or school occurred through the environment. The study recommended that schools should devise ways of helping children from emotionally and culturally deprived homes through increased collaboration with members of the community. Teacher education curriculum should strengthen the study of child growth and development. This will assist teachers in understanding some of the problems pupils from broken homes face. The Ministry of Education and Civil Society Organizations working in schools should institute academic support to children from broken families in the early years of schooling even in the absence of evidence of psychological problems. Head teachers ought to scrutinize and study individual cases of children that are enrolled in schools and learn about their family backgrounds so that those that need special attention are identified as soon as possible. Local communities should be sensitized on the effects of broken homes on school going children. Local and international organizations supporting the welfare of children should spearhead this campaign
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    An investigation into the poor perfomance of grade twelve pupils in summary in selected high schools of chipata district
    (2013-05-03) Manda, Francis
    The main purpose of the study was to establish the reasons for the poor performance of pupils in selected high schools of Chipata District in summary. Specifically, the study was based on the premises that performance of pupils in English, and summary in particular, is a result of several variables. Among these variables are the teaching strategies that pupils are subjected to in their learning of summary, the teaching and learning materials and the teachers’ and pupils’ attitudes towards summary. The investigation was carried out through an examination of the mentioned variables in selected high schools in Chipata District. The data were collected by administering a number of research instruments: The first one was a summary sample test. The second part involved conducting structured and unstructured interviews with teachers and pupils. The third one involved checking the different documents that were used in teaching and learning of summary. Through the analysis of the answers that the pupils gave to the sample test, the teaching strategies, the teaching and learning materials and the attitudes of the teachers and the pupils towards summary, this study has shown that among the reasons for the poor performance in summary include, the fact that pupils are not taught the necessary summary skills and theories in these schools, negative attitudes of both teachers and pupils towards summary and lack of appropriate teaching and learning materials. The findings suggest that summary skills and theories should actually be taught with the due attention that they deserve. This calls for the teacher-trainers, the teachers and the Ministry of Education officials to review the teaching of summary strategies; the writers of teaching and learning materials who may include curriculum developers and book publishers to re-write their materials, and lastly, the teachers and the pupils to change their negative attitudes towards summary to start looking at it as an important learning area that ought to be learnt with pleasure.