Effects Of Socialy Maladjusted Behaviour On Academic Performance Of Learners In Public Primary Schools In Kasarani Sub-County, Nairobi County, Kenya.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of socially maladjusted behaviour on the academic performance of learners in public primary schools in Kasarani District of Nairobi County Kenya.The researcher used descriptive survey in the study. In this study, the target population used was 700 respondents that comprised learners from various public primary schools sampled, all head teachers, deputy head teachers, and teachers in Kasarani sub - county. Questionnaires, an observation check list and an interview guide were employed to collect data. Responses from the instrument in the form of quantitative data were analyzed using excel. Qualitative data derived from interviews was analyzed thematically and this helped answer the questions raised by the researcher. The findings of the study established that socially maladjusted behaviour was rampant among pupils in public primary schools in Kasarani sub-county where some pupils exhibited characteristics that showed socially maladjusted behaviour. The data provided shows that there was a high frequency of 6 (100%) of the sampled population of pupils who exhibited rebellion against rules, truancy as well as delinquent tendencies. This however, does not apply to all the pupils in Kasarani sub-county but a few in sampled schools. From the observation check list which was thematically analyzed, bullying was rampant in most schools with a higher frequency of 5 (17%) followed by cheating, inciting and stealing which had equal frequencies of 4 (13%), truant, aggressiveness and being rebellious against rules also had equal frequencies of 3 (10%), drug abuse and delinquent behavior came last with a frequency of 2(7%). Based on the data analyzed, this study observed that the main causes of SMB among pupils are peer pressure with a frequency of 10 (47%) followed by the family‟s socio economic status which was 5 (24%) and drug abuse representing 4 (19%). The effects of SMB include poor results with 5 (50%), followed by school drop-out 2 (20%). The intervention strategies employed by head-teachers and other teachers in the affected schools to mitigate the effects of socially maladjusted behaviour included guidance and counseling 6 (100%) which was used in all the schools sampled as well as rewarding positive behaviour by teachers 4 (67%) followed by monitoring behaviour 2 (33%). Among the recommendations of this study are, that there is need for schools to liaise with special education assessment centers in order to manage extreme cases of SMB in a special way, the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology should devise broad based innovative strategies to deal with social maladjustment in public primary schools, not just in Kasarani but in all other counties in the country.