Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Performance of Girls at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in West Pokot County

1. Introduction

The performance of students in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) is a critical determinant of their future socio-economic trajectories and contributes significantly to national development. For girls, in particular, academic success shapes their entire destiny, influencing their health, economic independence, and social standing (Ngatiari, 2011). Consequently, there is a compelling need for the participatory involvement of parents, teachers, and other stakeholders in enhancing the academic performance of the girl child by providing the necessary basic requirements, which primarily fall under the purview of the family.

A family's economic background is a pivotal factor that can either positively or negatively influence a girl's academic performance. Parents are expected to provide adequate teaching and learning facilities, protection against early pregnancies and marriages, personal effects like sanitary pads, and a home environment with fewer domestic chores to allow for dedicated study time (Akinsolu, 2010). Prompt payment of school fees, proper nutrition, positive motivation, and active involvement in school activities are also crucial parental responsibilities. It constitutes a clear waste of resources if girls, despite being enrolled, do not acquire the skills necessary for their social and economic well-being. Education must, therefore, strive to attain the best results to become a true engine of social transformation, enabling each individual to realize their potential and live in dignity, making it a basic right for every child (UNESCO, 2007).

While other factors such as school facilities, teacher adequacy, and school management systems influence KCSE performance, socio-economic factors within the family unit are particularly potent. This study, therefore, sought to investigate the specific socio-economic factors influencing the performance of girls in KCSE in West Pokot County, a region where their performance has been consistently and comparably lower than that of boys.

2. Statement of the Problem

There has been persistent public concern and dissatisfaction regarding the underperformance of girls in KCSE examinations nationwide. Low performance leads to undesirable wastage through dropouts, grade repetitions, and the non-achievement of educational goals outlined in the Education for All (EFA) framework (UNESCO, 2007). West Pokot County has consistently recorded low mean scores in KCSE, with results showing a worrying downward trend over recent years, raising alarm among all stakeholders (Republic of Kenya, 2018). This persistent underperformance, especially among girls, threatens to perpetuate cycles of poverty and gender inequality within the county, necessitating this inquiry into its root socio-economic causes.

3. Literature Review

The socio-economic status of a family is a multifaceted construct that profoundly impacts a student's educational journey. Low family income, a key indicator of poverty, directly influences the demand for and quality of secondary education, which in turn translates to performance outcomes (Aikens & Barbarin, 2008). Poor families often face immense difficulty in paying school fees, purchasing essential learning materials, and catering to basic needs such as sanitary towels and appropriate clothing for their daughters (Republic of Kenya, 2009a). Furthermore, financial constraints often force parents to prioritize their sons' education over their daughters', particularly in resource-limited settings (Hussein, 2010).

Parental involvement is another critical variable. The attitudes held by parents and their parenting practices strongly predict girls' performance in KCSE (Republic of Kenya, 2018). Parents from high socio-economic backgrounds and with higher levels of education are more likely to create an intellectually stimulating home environment, supervise their children's work, and maintain active communication with schools (Kivuli, 2006). In contrast, girls from backgrounds without a strong tradition of education often perform poorly due to parental ignorance or a failure to recognize the long-term benefits of educating a girl child (Ngatiari, 2011).

The burden of domestic chores presents a significant, gendered barrier to girls' education. Research indicates that girls, especially those from poor families and day schools, perform substantially more household tasks than boys (Akinsolu, 2010). This leads to physical exhaustion, loss of concentration in class, irregular school attendance, and less time for supplementary reading, collectively contributing to poor academic achievement (Mutegi, 2005).

Family size is intricately linked to socio-economic disadvantage. A large number of children in a family with limited income often results in overcrowding and less intensive interaction between parents and each child (Kinyanjui, 2013). Parents in such situations cannot adequately supervise their daughters' academic work or provide the individual attention needed, as their time and resources are distributed among many siblings. This often forces parents in resource-constrained families like those in West Pokot County to make difficult choices, sometimes foregoing the education of their daughters (Wanjiru, 2007).

4. Methodology

This study employed a descriptive, cross-sectional research design based exclusively on secondary data. The data were collected in January 2019 from the Department of Education, West Pokot County. The dataset comprised the official KCSE mean scores for the 2017 and 2018 examination years.

The study population consisted of all mixed-day secondary schools in West Pokot County. A purposive sampling technique was used to select schools from two sub-counties, Pokot Central and Kipkomo, where complete and reliable data for both years were available. The focus on mixed-day schools was deliberate, as these institutions provide a clear view of the interaction between home-based socio-economic factors and school performance, unlike boarding schools which insulate students from daily household pressures.

Data analysis involved a comparative examination of the mean scores between girls and boys for each school across the two years. The "mean difference" (girls' mean score minus boys' mean score) was calculated to quantify the performance gap. A negative mean difference indicated that girls underperformed relative to boys. This quantitative data was then qualitatively interpreted within the framework of the socio-economic factors identified in the literature review.

5. Analysis and Discussion

The analysis of the 2017-2018 KCSE data from Pokot Central and Kipkomo sub-counties reveals a discernible pattern of gender disparity in academic performance.

In Pokot Central, the performance trend was mixed but leaned towards male advantage. In 2017, girls performed slightly better in most schools, but the margins were minimal. However, in 2018, boys performed better in the majority of schools. Notably, enrolment for girls was consistently lower across all schools, which is itself a socio-economic indicator, often reflecting parental preference for investing in sons' education.

In Kipkomo sub-county, the 2017 results showed boys performing better than girls in most schools. While the 2018 results showed a more balanced performance, boys still maintained an advantage in key schools.

The consistent underperformance of girls in this context can be attributed to the confluence of socio-economic factors discussed previously. The financial poverty prevalent in West Pokot County means that girls often lack essential learning materials and are frequently sent home for unpaid fees, leading to missed lessons. The high value placed on girls' labor for domestic chores and agricultural work reduces the time and energy they can devote to their studies. Furthermore, large family sizes dilute parental support and supervision, while low levels of parental education and involvement fail to create a supportive academic environment at home. These factors create a cumulative disadvantage that manifests in the observed KCSE performance gap.

6. Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following evidence-based recommendations are proposed for policymakers, educational administrators, and community leaders in West Pokot County:

1. Economic Empowerment and Support: The county and national governments should scale up targeted bursary and scholarship programs specifically for girls from low-income families to mitigate the impact of poverty on their education.
2. Community Sensitization: There is a critical need for robust community awareness campaigns to educate parents, particularly fathers and community elders, on the long-term social and economic benefits of investing in girls' education, aiming to shift cultural norms and attitudes.
3. School-Based Interventions: Schools should implement support systems such as guidance and counseling programs, peer mentoring for girls, and flexible homework schedules that acknowledge the domestic burdens faced by day-scholars.
4. Strengthen Parental Involvement: Schools should actively foster stronger home-school partnerships through regular, structured meetings and communication channels that encourage even less-literate parents to participate in their daughters' education.
5. Policy Formulation: The West Pokot County Department of Education should formulate and implement a County Girls' Education Policy that addresses these specific socio-economic barriers, incorporating initiatives like the provision of free sanitary pads in all public schools.

7. Conclusion

This study confirms that socio-economic factors exert a significant influence on the academic performance of girls in KCSE in West Pokot County. The analysis of secondary data from 2017-2018 reveals a persistent trend of girls underperforming relative to their male counterparts in mixed-day secondary schools. This disparity is strongly linked to family economic status, parental involvement, the disproportionate burden of domestic chores placed on girls, and large family sizes. Addressing this multifaceted challenge requires a concerted, multi-stakeholder approach that combines economic support, community mobilization, and supportive school policies to create an enabling environment for the girl child to thrive academically and realize her full potential.