Pupils, Parents and Teachers Perceptions on Causes of Low Achievements in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Examination: A Case Study in a Public School in Mandera County, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to find out the pupils, parents and teachers’ perceptions on causes of low achievement in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (K.C.P.E) examination by public school pupils in Mandera County, Kenya. The study has employed qualitative research method. Semi-structured interview guides have been used to collect responses from the interviewees. Fifteen (15) participants who were grouped into three sets (six pupils, their six parents and three teachers) participated in the study. The interviewees gave a number of challenges they thought were the contributory factors and mitigation measures to the low pupils’ achievement in the national examinations. A review of the school records has been used to collect data on the pupils’ performance in the year 2015 K.C.P.E examinations as well the participants’ demographic information.
Theoretically, this study has been guided by an integration of the conflict theory of education (Collins, 1971) and the education production function theory (Coleman S, 1966). The conflict theory of education helped in explaining the role of socioeconomic status of parents and pupils on the learners’ academic achievement. Education production theory on the other hand was used to explain how the school system is seen as a ‘market' where the society invests by use of ‘input and output’. The study found that parents’ low socioeconomic status, low parents’ educational background, no learning follow up at home, insufficient teaching and learning resources, large class size & shortage of teachers, pupils’ low motivation to learn, poor learning strategies by pupils, low proficiency in languages of instruction, negative peer influence and truancy by the pupils were the causes of the low achievement in the national examinations.
The study’s recommendations include: establishing adult literacy centers, promoting positive parents-teachers partnership on the pupils’ academic activities, establishing sound economic uplifting programs that can improve the socioeconomic conditions of the society, providing enough & relevant teaching/learning resources to schools and deployment of enough & qualified teachers to schools.