TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION: ............................................................................................................... .I

APPROVAL ....................................................................................................................... II

DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ................................................................................................... IV

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... V

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... viii

CHAPTER ONE .................................................................................................................. 1

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1

1.0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ............................................................................. 1

Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................... 2

1.2 Objective of the Study ................................................................................................... 3

1.2.1 General Objective ....................................................................................................... 3

1.2.2 Specific Objectives ..................................................................................................... 3

1.2.3 Research questions ..................................................................................................... 3

1.3 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................. 3

1.4 Scope of the Study ......................................................................................................... 4

1.5 Limitations of the Study ................................................................................................ 4

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CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................................. 5

LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................... 5

2.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5

2.1 Ethnicity and social inequalities in Africa ..................................................................... 5

2.2 What are the socio-economic factors bearing on school attendance? ........................... 8

2.3 Overview of socio-economic factors ........................................................................... 13

CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................................... 18

METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 18

3.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 18

3 .1 Research design ........................................................................................................... 18

3.2 Population of study ...................................................................................................... 18

3.3 Study sample ............................................................................................................... 18

3 .4 Research instruments ................................................................................................... 19

3.5 Research procedure ................................................................................................... 19

3.6 Data analysis and interpretation .................................................................................. 19

CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................. 21

DAT A PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION .............................. 21

4.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 21

4.1 Profile of the respondents ............................................................................................ 21

4.2 Environmental factors ................................................................................................. 23

4.3 The influence of socio-economic factors on school achievement.. ............................. 24

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4.3.1 The relationship between socio-economic factors and learners concentration in class

·······································································································································2The relationship between socio-economic factors and enrolment .................................... 27

4.4.1 Good feeding and better academic performance ...................................................... 31

4.4.3 The relationship between poverty, nutrition and academic performance ................. 32

4.2.2 Parents awareness of nutrition and its effects on the academic performance of

learners .............................................................................................................................. 33

4.5 Health ofleamers and their academic performance .................................................... 35

CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................................... 37

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................... 37

5.0. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 37

5.1. Summary of Findings ................................................................................................. 37

5.2. Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 38

5.3. Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 39

5.4 Suggestions for further research .................................................................................. 40

REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 41

APPENDIX I ..................................................................................................................... 43

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHERS ............................................................................ 43 

ABSTRACT

Recent research statistics has shown that primary education level is faced by a myriad of challenges. Kenyans cannot afford to be complacent about it, thus there arise an immediate need to conduct an investigation on the issue of socio-economic influences on pupils academic performance. The study adopted a descriptive research design. This enhanced the researcher to obtain a better understanding of the socio-economic factors affecting academic performance of pupils in Masinga division, Masinga district, Kenya. The method chosen allowed a collection of comprehensive and intensive data and provided an in-depth understanding of the topic understudy. Information collected was analyzed and edited to create consistency and completeness. After collecting the questionnaires they were edited for completeness and consistency across the respondents and to locate omissions. Information obtained from the research study was presented and analyzed using bar charts, narratives, and statistical figures. This report provides suggestions for more effective practice in the field of primary level education and measures based on the lessons learned from practical experience of the respondents. It is designed for policy makers, planners and stakeholders who have responsibilities in the education sector in the country.