Utilization of School Infrastructure and Its Influence on Students' Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract

School infrastructure forms a major part of housing learners in learning institutions. Utilization of school infrastructure in sheltering students against harsh weather conditions facilitates better attainment of school goals.  Academic performance of learners in public county secondary schools in Makueni County was low a reason to carry out this study. The purpose of this study was to determine utilization of school infrastructure and its influence on academic performance in secondary schools in Makueni County. The objective of this study was to establish the level of utilization of school infrastructure and its influence on student’s academic performance in public county secondary schools in Makueni County. The study adopted a mixed methods research design, specifically a convergent parallel research design and was supported by Education Production Function Theory. Research instruments were questionnaires and interview schedules. Validity was achieved through expert judgment and reliability by test-retest technique. The target population was 60 county secondary schools, 60 principals and 1004 teachers. Simple random and stratified sampling techniques were used to select the schools while systematic and purposive sampling was used to sample teachers and principals. The selected sample was 30 county schools, 30 principals, and 286 teachers. Total number of respondents was 316. Descriptive and inferential statistics (means, percentages, and multiple regression) and thematic analysis worked out the level of utilization of school infrastructure on students’ academic performance. Multiple regression showed that Utilisation of school infrastructure showed moderate means of 3.86, which revealed moderate influence existed between its utilisation and students’ academic performance. Qualitative data revealed different themes meant that effective utilization of school infrastructure positively influenced students’ academic performance in county secondary schools in Makueni County. Major conclusion was that there was needed to ensure effective utilisation of school infrastructure in order to improve academic performance. This study would provide important information useful to education policy makers in formulating additional policies leading to effective utilisation of school infrastructure in secondary schools.