Causes of performance variation in science subjects among o’level public secondary schools in Morogoro region, Tanzania
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Date
2015
Authors
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The study was about the causes of performance variation in science subjects among ordinary-level public secondary schools in Morogoro Region. The study was conducted in three selected districts namely Morogoro Municipal, Kilosa and Kilombero. The specific objectives of the study were to identify the number of qualified science subjects’ teachers available at school, to examine the time used by teachers and students in learning science subjects, to investigate how students’ entry scores affect their performance in science subjects as well as to examine how students and teachers’ motivation affect performance in science subjects in their final examination. The study employed mixed methodology and the causal comparative design. The instruments used were questionnaire, interview, documentary review and observation checklist. These instruments were used to collect data from 24 science subjects’ teachers (teaching ordinary-level), 246 students taking science subjects in form 3 and form 4 and 11 heads of schools included in a sample from better and poorly performing public secondary schools. The data collected were analyzed quantitatively using SPSS computer package to find out frequencies, percentages and the Pearson’s product moment coefficient (r) between students entry marks and their academic performance in Certificate of Secondary Education Examinations (CSEE) results in science subjects. The study revealed that the number of qualified science subjects’ teachers present at school, time used by teachers and students in teaching and learning science subjects, students entry marks as well as motivation to teachers and students largely contributed to variation in academic performance in science subjects among the O-level public secondary schools if other factors are kept constant. The correlation between the entry marks and the final results showed a strong positive relationship with r = 0.8151at 0.01significance level. The study recommended that teachers must be equally distributed in urban and rural areas. Community in which the schools are found should plan and implement better means of retaining teachers especially in rural areas. Teachers and facilities from nearby schools can be used to assist students in those schools with deficiencies. The lost periods should be compensated and teachers avoid punishing students during class hours. Remedial classes should be conducted to students enrolled with low marks and the entry marks in public secondary schools should be raised to at least 150. Teachers and students should be provided with attractive and rewarding learning environments to motivate and raise interest in teaching and learning process.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF Q181.T34L53)
Keywords
Science, Study and teaching, Science (Secondary), Academic achievement, Public secondary schools, Morogoro region, Tanzania
Citation
Lihepanyama, V. L. (2015) Causes of performance variation in science subjects among o’level public secondary schools in Morogoro region, Tanzania, Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam