Correlates of academic performance of grade three pupils with emotional and behavioural disorder in public primary school in Trans-Mara West Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

Apart from social interaction gains, pupils with Emotional Behavioural Disorder (EBD) in inclusive settings benefit from the academic aspect of the mainstream classroom as they interact with other students in the general curriculum. While EBD category of learners in some schools in Trans-Mara Sub County, Narok County have been performing relatively well compared to the ‘normal’ learners, there has been a persistent lower academic achievement in many others.The purpose of the study was to examine the correlates of academic performance of students with EBD in public primary schools in Trans-Mara West Sub County, Narok County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to establish the relationship between teachers’ preparedness towards inclusion of pupils with EBD and their academic performance, to determine the relationship between the use of behavioural support system and academic performance of pupils with EBD, and to examine the relationship between parental involvement in the learning of pupils with EBD and their academic performance. The study employed bioecological systems theory by Urie Bronfenbrenner. The correlational research design was adopted. The study target population comprised of 135 grade three class teachers, 123 head teachers and 520 learners with EBD. However, 37 teachers, 37 head teachers and 175 learners were sampled through simple and purposive sampling. Data was collected through teachers’ questionnaire and head teachers’ interview schedule. Pilot testing was conducted in the neighboring TransMara East Sub County. Content and construct types of validity were ascertained through scrutiny by two supervisors assigned to the researcher. Reliability of the teachers’ questionnaire was estimated by determining Cronbach alpha. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The three formulated null hypotheses were tested by determining the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient. The study found that most of the teachers lacked adequate preparedness to handle learners with emotional behavioural disorder. Only 35.1 % of the schools, had a reward system to reinforce positive behaviour among learners. Majority of teachers (64.8%) and headteachers indicated that parents hardly attended the school parents meetings in person but rather sent representatives who could not sustain some meaningful deliberations. The Transmara Sub County education office should organize a bench marking programme in which schools whose behavioral support system is well developed could be the reference to the many schools which lack an effective system. Such a move could lead to improved academic performance for all the learners with EBD in the sub county. The study findings may guide the Ministry of Education to formulate a pragmatic policy that would require all teachers to have a basic training in special needs education.