Factors affecting students’ level of performance at the Ordinary Level in Uganda: Case study Ntungamo Municipality

Abstract

The study focused on assessing factors affecting students’ level of performance at the ordinary level in Uganda using a case study Ntungamo municipality. Three specific objectives were considered which were; to examine the relationship between school-related factors, home-based factors, students’ related factors and students’ academic performance. The study used both primary and secondary data and findings were presented in form of figures, frequency distribution tables. Chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between independent variables and students’ academic performance. Findings showed that gender, place of residence, guardians’ involvement in PTA, and availability of school facilities had a statistically significant with academic performance since their p-values were less than 0.05. More males (71%) than females had good academic performance, Boarding students (77%) performed better than the commuting. Those with full access to school facilities (97%) had good academic performance compared to others especially those without access, these mostly performed poorly at 25%. In terms of parent’s subscription and involvement in PTA, all students performed quite good with 96% leading for students whose guardians were always involved, however, those whose guardians often got involved in PTA performed worse (14%) than any other student category. At the bivariate level, results show that there is a significant statistical association between academic performance and gender, place of residence, guardians involved in PTA, plus availability of school facilities. Therefore, these have a significant impact on an ordinary level student in Uganda, Ntungamo district. Factors like distance from home, part of peer group at school, financial status, age and more did not have a significant relationship with academic performance because their p-value was (p>0.05). Therefore, the researcher recommends; policies towards achieving gender equity like incentives to girls for empowerment and encouragement of efforts into their performance, care and focus on the specific aspects of the dimensions of school environment that affect the culture of the school in order promote student achievement and investing in understanding the values, practices, rituals, myths and norms of the schools and communities they lead in regards to influencing students in their PTA meetings.