Influence of Instructional Resources on Secondary School Students’ Academic Performance in Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract

Instructional resources are important factors during the implementation of curriculum. They help the implementers to realize their goals and give guidance to the teaching-learning process which leads to realization of good students’ academic performance and more so Makueni County. The declining performance of students in the county from mean grade C+ to a mean grade of C- in 2007–2010 was disturbing since many of them were to lose opportunities for further education, training and job placement. Factors such as environment, parental involvement and nature of schools have been highlighted as factors that influence students’ academic performance but instructional resources have not been studied in Makueni County as factor which influences students’ academic performance. Therefore the study sought to investigate on the influence of instructional resources on students’ academic performance in Makueni County. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design with a sample of population 93 head teachers and 418 teachers, making a total of 511 respondents. Data was analyzed using quantitative and qualitative techniques. Based on the research findings, it was concluded that students’ academic performance depended on teachers’ reference books and guides, students’ and teachers textbooks, charts, chalk boards and chalk, classrooms, and laboratory apparatus and chemicals as teaching and learning materials. The study recommended that for secondary schools to perform better academically in their KCSE there was need to equip the schools with the necessary teaching-learning materials. Also teacher-student’s ratio should be considered.