Trends in KCPE Performance: Their Function in School Effectiveness and Improvement in Gitugi Education Zone Murang’a County, Kenya

Abstract

This research sought to find out whether and how the analysis of the mean scores as utilized in Gitugi zone impact on the schools’ effectiveness and improvement with regard to performance in KCPE. The research had three objectives, namely) to determine whether there is any significant difference between the KCPE mean scores among the schools,ii) to determine whether there is any significant difference between the KCPE mean scores among cohorts and,iii) to find out whether or how summative and formative evaluation can be used to improve performance in KCPE in Gitugi education zone. Nine out of the fifteen schools were chosen through systematic random sampling. Document analysis was done for both the summative KCPE results and the formative evaluation in class eight, 2011. Piloting was done in one school in the zone. The data collected is presented in tables and graphs and, analyzed using inferential statistics using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Spearman’s Rank correlation coefficient. The schools show a downward trend in performance in KCPE in the zone except two from 2007 to 2011. There is significant difference in the KCPE means among the nine schools, while there is no significant difference across cohorts. This ANOVA results point to differences between schools which need further investigation to explain the observed consistent differences in KCPE performance. Annual calculations of mean scores and ranking continue to generate anxiety without addressing the causative agents.  It is recommended that analysis of trends in KCPE performance should be embraced as a useful tool in examining the differences among schools and cohorts and also used to develop strategies to raise schools’ effectiveness geared towards enhancement of KCPE scores in Gitugi education zone, Murang’a County, Kenya. [281 words]

Keywords: trends in KCPE performance, ranking of schools, schools’ effectiveness, schools’ improvement