Instructional Resources on Academic Performance of Learners in Integrated Science in Public Junior Secondary Schools in Busia County, Kenya

Makokha, Terry David
Moi University, School of Education,
Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Media
P.O. Box 3900-30100, Eldoret
Email: makokhaterri@gmail.com

Abstract: One pivotal cause of inadequate academic performance in Kenyan schools today is inability of the government to adequately provide learning resources to schools. In order for the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology to implementfree primary and subsidized secondary education and enhance the implementation of Competency Based Education, there is need to sufficiently supply resource materials to schools. The study sought to assess the influence of instructional resources on academic performance of learners in Integrated Science in public junior secondary schools in Busia County. The study was guided by Gagné’s Theory of Five Conditions of Learning. Its philosophical paradigm was borrowed from the Pragmatic Worldview and embraced a convergent mixed-methods design. The target population was 5100 grade eight students and 157teachers of integrated science from 56 public junior secondary schools in Busia County. Using stratified random sampling, 43junior secondary schools were selected from which 357 learners and 49 teachers were randomly and purposively drawn respectively. Data collection was done using teacher questionnaire and document analysis guide. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study findings showed that instructional resources had a p-value (r=0.79, p=0.000) less than the alpha value of 0.05, indicating a positive significant correlation with the academic performance of learners in Integrated Science. Qualitative data findings revealed that majority of the teachers in junior secondary schools intended to transfer from rural schools to urban schools on the basis of availability of instructional resources. The study concluded that inadequacy of instructional resources influenced low academic performance in Integrated Science in the study area. The study thus recommended strategies that should increase academic performance in the subject as follows; school head teachers should provide adequate instructional resources and encourage teachers to improvise in the situations where instructional resources either lack or is inadequate, for effective teaching and learning achievement in Integrated Science.