Gender Differences in Secondary School Students’ Achievement in Chemistry in Samburu County, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to investigate the gender differences in secondary school students’ achievement in chemistry. In addition, the study sought to identify the factors that contribute to gender differences in chemistry achievement to in order to enhance the provision of equal opportunities for the learning of chemistry and all other sciences in general to both boys and girls. Cross-Sectional study design under the descriptive survey research was used. The target population of the study comprised of all the secondary school chemistry students in both public and private secondary schools in Samburu county. The accessible population were all the form three chemistry students in the county. A sample of 286 students was selected from a population of 1,238 using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Students’ Chemistry Achievement Test (SCAT) and Students’ Gender Interview Schedule (SGIS) were used to collect data. The data collected was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The statistics derived included the analysis of percentages, mean, standard deviation, students’ T-Test scores and Chi-Square Test (x2 test) used to establish the relationship between culturally accepted gender roles and achievement in chemistry. The findings show that there was a statistically significant gender difference in chemistry achievement in favour of boys. As a result, boys’ schools performed better than both girls’ and co-educational schools. Boys had a high affinity and interest towards chemistry than girls. Also the culturally accepted gender roles had an effect on chemistry achievement. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education should initiate in-service programmes for teachers in science courses emphasizing on relevant scientific skills to empower teachers to provide learning opportunities that would reduce the gender differences and the effect of cultural factors known to enhance gender differences in the learning and achievement in chemistry. Curriculum developers and policy makers need to develop curriculum materials that would help to reduce the gender gap in learning and achievement.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CULTURAL BELIEFS AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN CHEMISTRY IN SAMBURU COUNTY, KENYA

African Societies have a relatively rich body of Indigenous Knowledge. This is embodied in the Continent’s Indigenous Knowledge Systems. This knowledge has been used by the African people for thousands of years to solve their specific problems. According to Kenya National Examination Council reports, secondary school students’ achievement in chemistry has been persistently poor. This has been attributed to many factors including cultural beliefs. However, it is not clear how cultural beliefs are related to students’ achievement in chemistry. The current concern in Samburu County among parents and other education stakeholders is that, students’ achievement in chemistry is poor and is likely to be affected by cultural beliefs that have a bearing on chemistry. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between cultural beliefs and secondary school students’ achievement in chemistry in Samburu County. Descriptive Correlational survey research design was used. The target population was all the secondary school chemistry students in Samburu County. The accessible population was all the Form Three chemistry students in the County in the year 2022. Cluster sampling was used to select nine secondary schools as sampling units and this included both public and private schools.  Stratified and simple random sampling was used to select a sample of 286 students. Two instruments were used for data collection namely: Students’ Chemistry Achievement Test (SCAT) and Students’ Cultural Beliefs Questionnaire (SCBQ). The instruments were validated by five experts in educational research. The reliability coefficient of SCAT was estimated using Guttman’s Lambda (λ6) formula. This yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.80. Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient (α) was used to estimate reliability coefficient of SCBQ. This yielded reliability coefficients of 0.85. The data collected was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Simple Linear Regression was used to establish the relationships between the different variables in the study. All statistical tests of significance were conducted at a coefficient level of alpha (α) equal to 0.05 with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 for windows. There was no statistically significant relationship between Cultural Beliefs and students’ achievement in chemistry. The findings, however, indicate that there was a gender difference in achievement in chemistry in favour of boys. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education should initiate in-service courses for science teachers to equip them with requisite skills to enhance their effectiveness in teaching of chemistry and science subjects as a whole. The findings of this study would benefit chemistry teachers, curriculum developers, teacher educators and policy makers in addressing necessary interventions to facilitate meaningful learning of chemistry and thus improve students’ achievement in the subject in secondary schools Countrywide.&nbsp