Abstract:
Abstract
Performance of candidates in Kenya Certificate of Secondary EducationMathematics in Meru County of Kenya
from 2012 to 2016 has consistently been deteriorating. This has called for this study so as to establish whether
this trend has anything to do with organization or otherwise of external Mathematics contests in secondary
schools of Meru County of Kenya. The study adopted ex post facto design because the effects of independent
variable on dependent variable had already occurred. Research instruments were Mathematics teachers’
questionnaire, and Principals’ interview guide. The target population was 299 principals and 836 Mathematics
teachers in the County. This study used stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. The sample
size was 30% of the total target population.It was established that most principals did not organize Mathematics
contests, to the detriment of performance of their KCSE candidates.
Key Words: Principals’ organization, Mathematics contests, Kenya, Kenya Certificate of Secondary
Education
