LABORATORY ADEQUACY AND ITS EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRYIN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KESSES SUB-COUNTY, UASIN GISHU COUNTY KENYA.

Abstract

It has been observed that the general poor performance in science subjects is due to inadequate laboratory resources. An expository study designed to investigate laboratory adequacy and performance in secondary school Chemistry in Kesses Sub-County has been undertaken. The aim of the study was to; determine the frequency of students‟ interaction with laboratory resources in the teaching and learning of chemistry, assess the utilization of laboratory resources in the teaching and learning of chemistry and evaluate the effect of laboratory adequacy on chemistry performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E) examination. The main research question was; how laboratory adequacy affects chemistry performance. The hypothesis that guided the study was; the utilization of chemistry laboratory in the teaching and learning of chemistry and influence laboratory adequacy on students‟ performance in Chemistry. The study assumed that the K.C.S.E performance that was received from the research sample was a true reflection of the effect of laboratory adequacy in chemistry. This study was guided by constructivist theory attributed to Jean Piaget which postulates that learners learn by experimentations, and not by being told what will happen, and are left to make their own inferences, discoveries and conclusions. A sample of 30 percent (1590) of the target population was used to conduct the study. The students and Chemistry teacher were involved through administration of questionnaires. An inventory checklist for laboratory apparatus and reagents was filled by laboratory assistant/Chemistry teacher. The Director of Studies also filled a form to capture the scores, grades and school means for K.C.S.E chemistry performance for three consecutive years: 2014, 2015 and 2016. All these enabled the establishment of laboratory adequacy. After gathering data, analysis was done using the descriptive statistics. A relationship was drawn to show the correlation between laboratory adequacy and performance of chemistry using Pearson Product Moment Coefficient which gave an index of +0.973. A t-independent test for two sample means was used to test the hypotheses. The study established that there is need to maximize utilization of laboratory resources in teaching and learning of chemistry. This would provide the learner with a chance to handle and develop correct scientific skills that can be implemented not only in their exams but also in their real life situations. It was also revealed that most of the schools in Kesses Sub-County had general laboratories, few of them had no laboratories at all and yet some of the few schools with specific and sufficiently equipped modern laboratories underutilized them and did not score as expected. Therefore the study recommends that; practical examination should not be limited to Forms Three and Four, instead be introduced in Form One. Such an approach will ensure learners interact with laboratory resources in an examination set up more regularly. The ministry of Education should set up minimum laboratory resource requirements for any school to be allowed to offer pure chemistry at K.C.S.E level. Teachers‟ Service Commission should also consider employing laboratory assistants because most of the schools visited did not have them. Implementing this recommendation would go a long way in helping teachers in planning and organizing for regular practicals. The study findings will be of importance to Chemistry teachers, the school Board of management as well as curriculum developers.