Effect of students’ living conditions on their academic performance in secondary schools of Goma Sub County, Mukono District.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of living conditions on students’ academic performance. The study objectives were; to examine the effect of feeding, school sanitation and accommodation on students’ academic performance in Goma sub county Mukono district. A cross sectional survey design using both quantitative and qualitative methods was used to collect data from 202 students and 30 teachers and 7 Head teachers. The qualitative study design investigated the possibility of the relationship between the independent and the dependent variables like feeding, sanitation, accommodation and academic performance.

The sample was drawn from boarding students in secondary schools of Goma Sub County especially those in Advanced level. Data on living conditions was gathered using a questionnaire with standard likert type scale with closed ranking items. Structured interview guides were used to collect views from the non students. Data from questionnaires was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the t-test while interview data was analyzed using frequency analysis by counting the number of times of responses had by the respondents. The findings suggested that students in schools which performed poorly were not satisfied with the living conditions and this affected their academic performance compared to schools which performed fairly where students were satisfied with the living conditions.

From the study, the following conclusions were drawn; firstly, poor feeding of students negatively affects their academic performance. Secondly poor sanitation negatively affects students’ academic performance and finally, school accommodation negatively affects students’ academic performance.

From the above conclusions it was therefore recommended that in schools where living conditions were very poor, the school administration had to set up an agricultural and poultry farms to supplement on the food provided to improve on feeding. The school administration should also include health education on the school time table and also organize healthy talks to students. Lastly the Ministry of Education and Sports through the supervision unit should ensure that all schools in rural areas follow the guidelines on proper accommodation.