Traditions and customs affect children’s education. It has been noted that the girl child is performs poorly in Kisumu East District when compared to the boy child in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examinations. For instance in 2008, in Nyanza Province only 5 girls compared to 25 boys were ranked among the top 100 nationally. Among the 5 girls there was only one girl from Kisumu East District. In 2009, only 6 girls compared to 26 boys were ranked among the top 100 position nationally from Nyanza Province; and there was no girl while there were 4 boys from Kisumu East District. To date girls lag behind boys in academic achievement in secondary education. Many factors are believed to be responsible for this trend. Cultural factors are believed to be among them. It is this dimension that prompted the study. The study established that cultural factors indeed influenced girl student’s academic achievement. Weekend funeral based disco dances, prior to burial ceremonies were found to negatively affect girls academic achievement, particularly in day secondary schools. Domestic chores and practices by parents of marrying off daughters were other cultural factors that negatively affected the girl child’s academic performance. Positive community attitudes enhanced girl students’ academic achievement while domestic chores negatively impacted on girl students’ academic achievement. The study concluded that cultural factors influenced academic achievement of girls in secondary schools in Kenya. The study recommended that the government should sensitize parents on the need and importance of supporting girl child education for better performance, parents should also be sensitized by the school on the importance of providing for the needs of the girl student. The findings of this study are significant to stakeholders in education on issues of gender equity in education and family socio cultural factors that influence academic achievement of the girl student in secondary education.

Impact of Cultural Factors on Girl Students’ Academic Achievement in Secondary Schools in Kenya: A Case Study of Kisumu East District

Movements advocating for the rights of women and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in Kenya are on the rise. The “My Dress, My Choice” campaign that sprang up ...

Living in a Liminal Space: Feminist and LGBT Alliances in Kenya

This study intended to investigate School based factors affecting girls’ performance in mixed secondary schools. The objectives of the study were to determine school – based factors, which affect girls’ academic performance (KCSE) in mixed secondary, to suggest the possible strategies to counter the school based factors which affect girls’ academic performance. The study sampled mixed Secondary Schools which are twelve in number using simple random technique to select six schools. From the sampled schools, an equal numbers of students were selected from form four classes in each school totaling 160. Sixty (60) teachers were included in the study and six (6) head teachers .Data was collected using questionnaires for students and teachers. Interviews were for head teachers. The research employed a mixed method design technique. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics i.e. frequencies, percentages, mean and Standard deviation. Scientific Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was also used. The findings of the study were to provide to the education stakeholders to come up with strategies for countering the school based factors affecting girl’s academic performance in KCSE in Nakuru Municipality. From the research findings, it was established that school based factors affecting girls’ performance were KCPE intake, time wastage, and boy/ girl relationship. The recommendations made were, there should be more guidance and counselling in schools, increase bursaries, inviting resource persons to talk to girls, special relationship between girls and female teachers and separation of girl’s classes from boys.

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School based factors affecting girls academic performance (kcse) in mixed secondary schools: a case of nakuru municipality

Department of Educational Management, Policy and Curriculum Studies,68p.The LB 3479.K4.G8 2011

Effects of school feeding program on access and retention among school pupils in nomadic families in wajir district, kenya

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Albert Maleche

Papers

A New Status For Women in Kenya