Thesis:

An Evaluation of The Influence of Nomadic Lifestyles on Academic Performance of Primary School Learners in Gurumesa Zone in Moyale Sub-County

It has been established that education plays a significant role in the life of learners. However, in Gurumesa Zone, academic performance of nomadic learners in primary schools has been wanting and this has been a concern for different education stakeholders. Therefore, this study intended to evaluate the influence of nomadic lifestyles on academic performance of primary school learners in Gurumesa Zone, Marsabit County. Literature review for this study was based the concept of academic performance, influence of nomadic lifestyle on attendance, motivation, study time and attitude in relation to academic performance. The study applied a descriptive survey since the researcher collected data and report the way things are without manipulating any variables. The target population comprised 30 primary schools comprising of 30 head teachers, 70 class teachers, 400 parents and 1000 primary school children all totaling to 1500. Using The Central Limit Theorem, a sample of 9 primary schools in Gurumesa Zone was selected. Using the same theorem, the researcher sampled 300 respondents, that is, 20% of 1500. The researcher applied stratified random sampling to create at six strata each consisting of five primary schools. From each stratum, the researcher applied random sampling to select at least two primary schools. The researcher then applied purposive sampling to nominate at least one head teacher and two class teachers from each stratum. The study applied simple random sampling to sample at least 14 parents and a corresponding 34 learners in classes VII and VIII from each stratum; the inclusion criteria being class. The collected data was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively and then merged into one overall interpretation in which the researcher related the quantitative results to the qualitative findings. The relevant information was broken into phrases or sentences, which reflect a single, specific thought. Frequency counts of the responses were then obtained to generate descriptive information about the respondents. Quantitative data was analyzed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) Test Analysis in Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS version 21). The findings of the study were presented using percentages and tables because they summarize large quantities of data. The study has established that nomadic pupils’ school attendance, motivation, pupils’ study time and pupils’ attitude determine their academic performance. The study has established that nomadic pupils rarely attend school, are poorly motivated, have no sufficient study time and have developed negative attitude towards education have in turn affected their performance in CATs/RATs, problem solving, creativity and language skills. In other words, the study concludes that poor academic performance of nomadic pupils in primary schools is attributed to poor school attendance, lack of motivation, lack of study time and negative attitude. It thus recommends that parents should be encouraged to allow their children to attend school for their holistic growth and development and understand that academic performance of primary school pupils depend largely on class attendance. Schools, teachers and policy-makers should adopt locally available modes of motivation to enhance academic performance of primary school learners. Parents from nomadic communities should spare their school-going children of responsibilities which consume their study time in order to realize impressive results. Nomadic pupils should be counseled to value education and develop positive attitude and perception towards education as their backbone of their holistic growth and development. The government should formulate a policy to ensure adherence to the Basic Education Act of 2012 which enhances children’s rights to quality basic education.