Report: What causes poor KCPE results

Indiscipline is the leading cause of poor academic performance in Kenyan primary schools according to a new report by the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec).

The survey says at least 98 per cent of head teachers interviewed said their schools experienced indiscipline.

The report titled National Assessment System for Monitoring Learner Achievement (NASMLA) says nine out of 10 teachers reported cases of indiscipline in their schools.

Some of the common forms of indiscipline cited by the report include absenteeism, noise making and truancy.

Half of the indiscipline cases involved lateness according to the research conducted late last year.

Other factors identified by the report as affecting learning were lack of regular meals, textbook sharing, school entry age, lack of facilities, absenteeism by teachers, irregular assessment and professional qualifications by teachers among others.

Lack of proper nutrition was another factor that learners had to grapple with, for instance, in Kwale and Busia counties. At least 38 per cent of pupils in Kwale and 36 per cent in Busia don't have regular breakfast.

Other counties with a high number of pupils who did not have regular breakfast include Homa Bay (32 per cent), Marsabit (32 per cent) and Siaya (30 per cent).

Kwale also had the highest number of pupils who did not have lunch regularly followed by Mandera. Marsabit County reported the highest number of learners who did not have supper regularly followed by Mandera.