The Relationship between Availability of Teaching/Learning Resources and Performance in Secondary School Science Subjects in Eldoret Municipality, Kenya

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between availability of both human and non-human resources for teaching/learning and performance in the Science subjects in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination. The study was conducted in Eldoret Municipality, Kenya. Stratified random sampling was used to draw a sample of 14 head teachers, 56 teachers and 308 Form Three students, based on the schools’ performance in KCSE science subjects for the period 2001-2005, from 7 low performing schools and 7 high performing schools. The purpose of the study was to establish if availability and utilization of teaching and learning resources is among factors that influence performance in science subjects in Eldoret Municipality. The study was significant as performance in science subjects in Eldoret Municipality had been poor for a long time, hence the need to find out the causes. Data was collected using three questionnaires administered to the head teachers, teachers and students. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse and summarise the data. T-test was used to ascertain the significant differences between means of low performing and high performing schools. Correlation was used to show relationships between performance and the research variables. From the findings, availability of textbooks, revision books, lab chemicals and equipment was higher in the high performing schools than in the low performing schools. The findings show that 2 out of the 7 low performing schools did not have a laboratory. All the 5 low performing schools that had a laboratory lacked laboratory technicians and only one of them was fully equipped. Moreover, none of the low performing schools had a library, and all the high performing schools had more than one laboratory. As such, there were differences in availability of teaching/learning resources between the high performing schools and low performing schools. Therefore, the Ministry of Education should initiate more training programmes on provision, improvisation and utilization of teaching/learning resources. It should also help enhance the ongoing programmes like SMASSE among others. The study has practical implications for learners, teachers, school administrators, parents and educational officials in relation to provision and use of teaching/learning resources. Importance of the study to scholars, readers and the general public lies in the fact that science is the foundation of industrial, technological and economic development. Hence the need for awareness of all factors that affect performance and means of alleviating poor performance. In addition, when ranking schools’ performance, factors such as schools’ endowment with both human and non-human resources need to be considered.