Semantics and Communication in Public Primary Schools in Sameta District, Kenya

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between semantics and communication in Public Primary Schools in Sameta district, Kenya. The study was guided by four research objectives that were set to determine the profile of respondents in terms of gender, age, marital status, professional qualification, type of school and the period of stay in the school; the extent of Semantics; the level of communication and the significant relationship between Semantics and Communication. Non experimental research design specifically descriptive co-relational survey design was employed. The population size was 200 and the sample size was determined by using Sloven’s formula to arrive at 133 respondents. Purposive sampling based on inclusion criteria to select the respondents was used and those respondents who qualified were finally chosen through simple random sampling of four teachers per school. Data gathering was done using non standardized questionnaires to 133 respondents. Statistical tools used were frequency, percentage, mean and Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient at 0.05 level of significance. Data analysis was done using SPSS package that proved that the level of semantics and communication stand at an average level with mean of 3.413 and 3.427 respectively which is equivalent to strongly agree range, while Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient revealed that there is appositive and significant relationship between semantics and communication. On the overall semantics acts as a greater hindrance to effective communication. The findings of the study showed that male teachers dominated in most schools as compared to females as evidenced by 74% and 26%respectively, teachers in the early adulthood bracket (20-39years) dominated in schools as compared to middle adulthood and late adulthood as evidenced by 53%,47% and O% respectively, most members of staff are married as compared to widowed, single and divorced teachers as evidenced by 79%,ll% and 3% respectively, most teachers have not upgraded them selves as evidenced by P1(58%, ATS (28%), Diploma(10%) BED (4%) MED (0%), the number of mixed schools in Sameta district is higher than single schools as evidenced by 92% and 8% respectively. The extent of semantics had an average mean of 3.413 which was interpreted as very satisfactory meaning that semantics has an impact on communication.