Management Factors Influencing Academic Performance in Agriculture in Public Day Secondary Schools in Kisumu West Sub-County.

Abstract

The study of Agriculture in education contributed significantly in political, social and economic realms of development. Academic results of Agriculture in most secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub-County was challenged by factors including inadequate learning resources, the discipline of the students, improper approach to teaching, poor mastery of the content, overloading of teachers, denial of field trips and strikes. Effective and proper supervision and curriculum implementation played a significant role in the manner under which Agriculture performed. The major objective of this research was finding out the management factors influencing academic performance of students’ in Agriculture in public day secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub-County. This research was based on a model developed by Mitzel with an aim of advancing the opinion that teaching is a concept with an interplay that employs sets of variables. The study utilized descriptive survey design to analyse and collect data. The target population consisted of 24 Principals, 24 Head of departments and 24 Agriculture teachers, one County Education Officer and 203 form four Agriculture students. The researcher used purposive Sampling to collect data from 24 Head teachers and 24 Agriculture teachers while the study utilized simple random sampling to collect data from 203 form four Agriculture students. A reliability coefficient of 0.7 was an acceptable value for research purposes, hence the researcher considered the instruments reliable for data collection. Findings obtained included inadequate Agriculture textbooks (85%) and the study established that improving physical resources by 1 unit would enhances academic performance in Agriculture by 0.362 unit (β1 = 0.362; p > 0.05). It was found that enhancing attitude of students and teachers influenced learning and teaching of Agriculture by 1 unit enhances academic performance in Agriculture by 0.516 unit (β2 = 0.516; p < 0.05). The study also established that improving supervision on learners by 1 unit increases academic performance in Agriculture by 0.265 unit (β3 = 0.265; p > 0.05). In conclusion physical resources, attitude of students and teachers influence learning and teaching of Agriculture. Furthermore, supervision on learners have a positive and important influence on academic performance in Agriculture. The study recommended that there’s need to implement appropriate policies to ensure adequate physical resources as well as improve supervision of learners. Furthermore, TSC should employ teachers to curb the acute shortage and external and internal supervision of curriculum should be intensified in all schools teaching agriculture in the Sub-County. Similarly, seminars for teachers should be intensified to encourage cultivation of positive attitude toward teaching Agriculture in these public schools. In addition, teachers need to be role models for a positive attitude towards learning agriculture. School principals should monitor curriculum implementation frequently to check whether the teachers use lesson plans in line with professional documents. Therefore, the researcher further recommends that another research should be conducted in other Sub-Counties in Kisumu to assess their level of preparedness in teaching agriculture.