Influence of Parental Involvement on Students’ Performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in Public Secondary Schools in Yatta Sub- County, Machakos County, Kenya

Naomi Jackline Muusi & Solomon Mwaniki
School of Education
Mount Kenya University
Email: naomline@gmail.com

Abstract: Parental involvement is crucial in improving academic performance of learners in schools. However, in Yatta Sub-county, students’ performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) being low. Hence, this study sought to examine the influence of parental involvement on students’ performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in public secondary schools. This study applied a mixed methodology approach, adopting a concurrent triangulation research design. The target population consisted of 33 principals, 33 Board of Management (BoM) Chairs, 983 teachers, and 2 Sub-county Directors of Education (TSC & MoE), totaling 1051 respondents from which a sample of 202 respondents was selected using Yamane’s formula. This comprised 10 principals, 10 BoM Chairs, 180 teachers, and 2 SCDEs. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from teachers and interviews were used to gather qualitative data from principals, BoM Chairs, and SCDEs. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically based on the study’s objectives and presented in narrative form. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and percentages, and inferential statistics through Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Analysis, aided by SPSS Version 25, with results presented in tables. The study revealed a consistent decline in KCSE performance in many public secondary schools over the past five years (2020-2024). This decline was attributed to irregular involvement of parents in key decisions regarding academic activities of their children. Thus, principals should also involve parents more regularly in decision-making regarding academic programs aimed at enhancing academic performance.