RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UTILIZATION OF PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MACHAKOS COUNTY, KENYA
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UTILIZATION OF PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MACHAKOS COUNTY, KENYA
Kamuya Naomi Mueni - Master of Education (Educational Administration), Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr. Hellen Kiende Guantai - School of Education and Lifelong Learning, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
In recent years, the performance of public secondary schools in Machakos County, Kenya, has shown signs of concern. A closer examination of the KCSE performance data from 2012 to 2020 reveals a fluctuating pattern that warranted investigation. This study aimed at establishing the influence of utilizing physical infrastructure on the students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Machakos County. The study was guided by the following objectives: (i) To establish the influence of the utilization of computer laboratories on the performance of KCSE in secondary schools in Machakos County; (ii) To determine the influence of science laboratory utilization on students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Machakos County; (iii) To establish the influence of library utilization on students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Machakos County. The study was guided by the System Resource Theory by Yutchman and Seashores (1967) and employed a correlational research design. The target population was all 202 public secondary schools in Machakos County. The unit of observation was 43,688 respondents comprising 202 principals, 3,030 teachers, and 40,456 students. Simple random sampling technique was employed to select the 20 public secondary schools which represents 10% of the schools. The study used a census to select 20 principals from the 20 schools because the number was very small. For the remaining respondents, 26 teachers and 338 students for the sample of 20 schools, this study used stratified sampling method. Data were collected through interviews with teachers and questionnaires from students. Pilot testing was conducted to identify potential issues or ambiguities in the instruments and1allows for necessary modifications. Content validity was ensured through consultation with specialists in education management, and reliability was assessed through a test-retest method. Data analysis was s done using descriptive statistics including mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentages. Regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses at a significance level of 0.05 and to examine the relationship between one or more independent variables (predictors) and a dependent variable (outcome). This study might help policymakers at the Ministry of Education create a framework for how the money would be distributed to public secondary schools to upgrade infrastructure and increase students' and teachers' access to physical resources. The study found that majority of the secondary school students’ in Machakos County used the computer lab for academic purposes. Moreover, the study found that the science labs were used for experiments with an appropriate duration and frequency, and the science laboratories were available in their school. The study also found that it was uncertain whether the nature and quality of library facilities contributed to a positive learning environment, and the library facilities were user-friendly and promote effective research and study. The study concludes that utilization of science laboratories (β=0.843, p-value=0.025<0.05) had the greatest influence on student academic performance in secondary schools in Machakos County, followed by utilization of library(β=0.774, p-value=0.008<0.05), while utilization of computer laboratories (β=0.632, p-value=0.023<0.05) had the least influence on student academic performance in secondary schools in Machakos County. The study recommends that secondary schools in Machakos County should prioritize investment in upgrading and maintaining computer lab resources to ensure adequacy and functionality.
