CASTOR DONALD MROPE

0712001875

jesmrope@gmail.com

2017

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background of the study

Investigations of the effects of socio-economic status (SES) background on students' school

achievements had been carried out across the world (Temu,1995). That study had established
that the higher the educational level of parents, the higher their children perform at school and
were more likely to pursue further studies. In Tanzania, the educational level of parents had an
effect on whether students apply for nongovernment schools or government schools, whether the
child receives individual tuition of the teacher after regular school hours or whether the child was
assisted doing homework (Mc Gillicuddy-DeLisi, & Subramamian, 1994; Temu,1995). Gender
had an effect on school experiences and achievement in Tanzania. Girls perform lower than boys
especially in mathematics and science. Statistics show a higher percentage of boys than girls
drop out. Girls receive negative expectations about their studies, from teachers, peers and the
community at large (Bendera, 1994; Khwaya Puja, & Kassimoto, 1994). That gender differences
were more pronounced in secondary and further education than on the primary school stage. The
choice of school language in Tanzania had been pointed out as a "hot issue" on the political level
(Rubagumya, 199]; Brock-Utne, 1993; Roy-Campbell, 1995).

1.2 Statement of the problem

The Student’s academic gain and learning performance was affected by numerous socio-cultural
factors including gender, age, teaching faculty, students schooling, father/guardian social
economic status, residential area of students, medium of instructions in schools, tuition trend,
daily study hour and accommodation as hostelries or day scholar like Torso (2006) had
mentioned parents’ occupation, education and size of family as economic factors which can
deteriorate students’ performance.

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Therefore, there was a need to investigate the influence of sociocultural factors of collectivist
culture, political activism and witchcraft on the academic performance of students sitting
examinations in Nachingwea district.

1.3 Research objectives

1.3.1 General objective.

The general objective of this research was to assess the socio-cultural factors affecting academic
performance of in secondary school students in Nachingwea District.

1.3.2 Specific objectives

i. To examine the socio-cultural factors affecting academic performance of secondary

school students in Nachingwea District

ii. To examine the effects of socio-cultural factors on academic performance of students in

secondary school in Nachingwea District.

iii. To determine the measures to overcome socio-cultural factors affecting performance of

students in secondary schools in Nachingwea District.

1.4 Research questions

i. What are the socio-cultural factors affecting academic performance of secondary school
students in Nachingwea District?
ii. What are the effects of socio-cultural factors on the academic performance of students in
secondary school in Nachingwea District?
iii. What are the measures to overcome socio-cultural factors that affecting performance of
students in secondary schools in Nachingwea District?

1.5 The scope of the study

The study is looked on the socio cultural factor affecting performance of students among
secondary school students, also the research was investigated effects of that socio cultural to the
student as well as the study was find out the possible solution to remove that effects. The

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information concerning to the study was collected in Nachingwea District from four selected
secondary school as the case of study, the secondary school that was involved were Nachingwea
day, Nachingwea girls, Marambo and Misufini secondary. The reason of selecting that area was
because the area was dominated Nachingwea community who engaged in practice Unyago and
jando to the young children as their culture.

1.6 Significance of the study

The findings of the study would benefit to school administrators and other policy makers to
know the actual socio-cultural factors hindering the academic success of students in public
secondary schools present in Nachingwea district. The findings of the study would help parents,
religious bodies, non-government organizations and gender activists to raised their voice strongly
on socio-cultural factors, which affected education of student negatively.

1.7 Definitions of the key terms

Performance is the state of how good/well a person or a thing does something. This research
wants to measure the attendance and academic performance at school affected by household
activities.

Academic performance: Refers to scores girls obtained in form four national examination from
2011 -2015. Division I, II and III or Distinction, Merit and Credit were categorized as “pass” and
division IV and Zero or Pass and Fail as “failure”.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

In this chapter was consists of related literature review, theoretical framework and research gap.

2.1 Related literature review

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 6th Edition, the word "education" was a
process of teaching, training and learning, especially in schools and colleges, to improve
knowledge and develop skills. However, education in its broadest sense is any act or experience
that had a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual. In its
technical sense education was the process by which society deliberately transmits its
accumulated knowledge, skills and values from one generation to another. Education is classified
into three main categories: formal, semi-formal and informal education.

Kinra (2008) argued that; students were faced with challenges during Adolescent period. In that
stage here was upstage in a student’s friendship and relationship. In that period a student builds
bad behavior that led to dropout from school either by truancy or pregnancy. He suggest that at
tht stages a student should be encouraged to study on his own in order to inculcate self-
confidence and ability to find out and evaluate ways of studying according to his own genus.

2.2 Theoretical frame work

Nyoni (2004) pointed out that radical feminism sees male control of women (patriarchy) as the
main problem in the exploitation of women by men. Marxist feminism on the other hand sees
capitalism rather than patriarchy as the source of women’s oppression and capitalists as the
beneficiaries. Socialist feminists argue that women's oppression was an aspect of both capitalism
and patriarchal relations.

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According to Mosetse, (2006); Opportunities to education should be free from socio- cultural
notions and practices that do not produce equal opportunities on merit basis to both girls and
girls. The women had the right to enjoy the fruits of education as men after completion of their

2.3 Research gap

Different scholars identified the socio-cultural factors affecting performance of students in

secondary; Janosik (1994) identified the effects of socio cultural factors like adolescents engage
in smoking, drinking or drug use and adolescents with poor academic performance were most at
risk and should be a target group for primary prevention problem with the English language,
pregnancy and child labour employment, Ignorance of the parents and guardians and poor
learning environment. Therefore this study was went to differ in terms of objectives in such way
that study dealt with finding out the socio-cultural factors affecting performance of students in
secondary schools in Nachingwea District, to examine the effects of socio-cultural factors
affecting performance of students in secondary in Nachingwea District and to documents the
possible measures to eradicate the challenges of socio-cultural factors affecting performance of
students in secondary schools in Nachingwea District.

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 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0 INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the research methods and design which adopted in the study. It included
research design, area for the study, target population sample and sampling procedure, data
collection techniques, data analysis technique.

3.1 Research approach

Research is the set of assumption, concepts and procedures that determine the criteria according
to which one selects and defines problems for inquiry and how one approaches them
theoretically and methodologically (Kombo, 2006). The study used mixed approach which
included both quantitative and qualitative methods in data collection.

3.2 Research design

Kothari (2004) defines research design as a logical structure in which the research conducted and
carried out during the data collection process, measuring and analysis of data. Research design
regards what, where, when, and how much, by what meant concerning an inquiry or a research
study.

3.3 Description of the study area

The study was conducted in Nachingwea District Council in Lindi Region where the population
of the study was drawn. Nachingwea was one of the 6 Districts which formed Lindi Region with
a total area of 2,560 km2, which was approximately equal to 256,036 hectares. It lied between
latitude 9.50S and100 S and longitude 38.50E and 39.50E. Also, the climatic condition of that
district was tropic region characterized with high temperature at the summer seasons and
moderate temperature at the winter seasons.

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3.4 Study population

A population is the totality of any group units which had one or more traits in common that were
of interest to the researcher (Oso and Onen 2005). Additionally population was all items in any
field of inquiry sometimes were known as universe. The population that research interested were
all secondary school students in Nachingwea District.

3.5 Sample and sampling procedures

Kothari (2004) defined sampling, as the selection of some part of an aggregate or totality on the
basis of which judgment or inference about the aggregate or was made, the study was used both
simples random sampling and purposive sampling.

3.5.1 Sample random sampling

Sample random sampling is the kind of technique in which individual were chosen in such a
way that each was equal chance of being selecting and choice was independent of any other
choice (Kothari,2004), this technique was used to get secondary school teachers and
communities.

3.5.2 Purposive sampling

The Purposive sampling was the method of getting data from the respondents in which the study
purposely targeted a group of people who believed to have information needed for the study and
selected due to their availability. This technique was uses purposively for select official groups,
i.e. Village Chairpersons, Ward Canceller and Ward Executive Officers.

3.6 Sample size

A sample is a part of the targeted population that had been selected to represent it, (Oso & Onen,
2005). Evance et al (2000), define sample as the number of observation in the percent of the
targeted population. Sample size was determined by the percentages of the number of
respondents within the targeted population. Kothari (2004) defined a sample size as the number
of items to be selected from the universe to constitute a sample.

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Moreover, most statisticians agreed that the minimum sample size for the researcher to get a
meaningful result is 100

3.7 Data collection methods

3.7.1Primary data

This is data that collected from the field of study by the researcher; this will involve
questionnaire and interview (Kothari, 2004).

3.7.1.1 Interview

Interview is the face to face communication in which the questions are posed respondents.
Geoffrey (2007) argues that; Interview is the form of data collection in which questions are
asked orally and subject responses are recorded.

3.7.1.2 Questionnaires

Questionnaire is a list of written or printed questions which are mostly used to collect data from
different respondents whether specialists (Geoffrey, 2007). It is the collection of items
(questions) to which a respondent is expected to react usually in writing (Oso and Onen, 2005).

3.7.2 Secondary data

3.7.2.1 Documentation

The secondary data source of information involved documentation, whereby the researcher
gathered the information from classroom attendance register, admission book and examination
results to the head of school office.

3.8 Data analysis

Kothari (2004:122) defines the term analysis as computation of a certain measures along with
searching for patterns of relationship that exist data group. The data was analyzed by using Ms
(Microsoft Excel) through descriptive statistics so as to make data more accurate and consistence
for presentation

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 CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

4.0. Introduction

4.1 Demographic Information

4.1.1 Gender of respondents

The data collected involved both male and female groups whereby both sex participated male
were 60 (60%) out of 100 and female were 40 (58%) out of 100.

4.1.2 Education level of respondents

Figure 2: Education level of the respondents

Education level of the respondents

80% 68%
60%
40%
17%
20% 11%
4%
0%
primary level, 5% ordinary level,5% diploma level degree level

Source: Field data 2020

The respondents involved in this study were in different levels of education; primary level
included 1 (11%), ordinary level included 74 (68%) and diploma level included 5 (4%) and
degree level included 10 (17%).

4.1.3 Age of the respondents

Figure 3: The age of respondents

AgeAge
of of
respondents
above 45
Age of less than 45 years
years 4%
28%

Age of less than 20

9 years
68%
Source: Field data 2020

Respondents with age less than 20 years comprises 68%, age less than 45 years comprised 28%
and above 45 years old comprise 4%. Whereby, according to the data from field, the findings
showed that age of most of the respondents relied less than 45 years and above 45 years.

4.2 The socio-cultural factors affecting academic performance of students in secondary

schools in Nachingwea District

Figure 4: Socio-cultural traditions affecting academic performance

75% 70%
80% 63% 63%
70%
60%
50%
40% 30%
30%
20% Teachers
10% Parents
0%

Source: Field data 2020

4.2.1 Traditional night dances

The data collected from the respondents through questionnaires with 78 (78%) out of 100
students and teachers revealed that most young students in Nachingwea District were involved in
night dances dance which instead of involving in learning processes such as night preparations in
their home area, they went in those dances.

4.2.2 Family conflict and single parent family

The findings through questionnaire show that 80 equivalent to 80% of all respondents agreed that
family conflict and single parent family was one of the socio-cultural factors affecting
performance of students in secondary schools in Nachingwea District.

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4.3: The effects of socio-cultural factors affecting academic performance of students in
secondary in Nachingwea District

4.3.1: It increases early pregnancy

The data collected through questionnaires from 86 (86%) out of 100 students and teachers
revealed that Socio-cultural activities lead to early pregnancy to young girls because when the
children were in Unyago they were taught sexual intercourse and all practices. When they came
back from Unyago they practice it, at the end led to early pregnancy to them.

4.3.2: Spread of diseases like HIV/AIDS

The finding Show that 85% of all percentage which represent 85 respondents out of 100 agreed
that socio-cultural activities specifically ‘Jando’ increase the spread of HIV/AIDS. During the
process of Jando, Ngariba circumcised the young children by using single razor for all children
so if one of them was affected with HIV’s affected others through that equipment.

4.4: The Measures to overcome Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting Academic Performance of

Students in Secondary Schools in Nachingwea District

4.4.1: Stopping harmful traditional practices

The data collected from the respondents through questionnaires from 92 (92%) out of 100
teachers and students revealed that it was better to prepare small ceremony of Jando and Unyago
in order minimizes the use of time for the student to do not use much time such as a month
without being in school.

4.4.2: Vulnerable socio-cultural activities should not be given priority

The data collected from the respondents through questionnaires from 74 (74%) out of 100
teachers and students revealed that some of socio-cultural practices should not be given more
priority with regards to the side effect on student’s academic progression

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 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.0 Introduction.

5.1 Summary

The study was based on assessment of socio-cultural factor affecting academic performance of
secondary school students in Nachingwea District. Chapter one presented background of the
study on socio-cultural affecting academic performance of students, statement of the problem
showed clear that socio cultural in Nachingwea District were behind poor. Chapter Two was
about Literature review. Chapter Three was about research methodology. Chapter Four was
about finding of the study. Moreover, respondents suggested the measures to overcome harmful
socio cultural.

5.3 Conclusion

The research findings based on socio-cultural factors affecting student academic performance,
the findings revealed various cultural practices and its vulnerability to the context of education in
the society. Hence this study will help to create awareness on abolishing harmful traditions and
put emphasis on education in Nachingwea District.

5.4 Recommendations

5.4.1 Recommendation for action

Government and non-governmental organization should provide mass education about the
negative effects of socio-cultural activities to the society.

5.4.2 Recommendation for further study.

This study was investigated on the effects of socio-cultural factors affecting performance of
Students in Secondary in Nachingwea District. This study lied on both side of effects which were
negative and positive.

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