The Influence Of Big Results Now Initiative On Academic Performance Of Secondary School Students In National Examinations: A Case Of Musoma Municipality

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of Big Results Now (BRN) initiative on academic performance of secondary school students in their National Form Four Examinations taking Musoma Municipality as the case study. The specific objectives of the study were three which were first, to explore the performance of students before and during the implementation of BRN, second, to scrutinize the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) given in education as a focus factors behind the successful/unsuccessful implementation of BRN in targeted schools and third, to examine the challenges hindering the implementation of BRN initiative. The study was guided by Vroom‟s Theory of Expectancy and Walberg‟s Theory of Education Productivity. It employed a total of 173 respondents whom included secondary school teachers, heads of schools, School Inspectors and District Secondary Education Officer. The Study employed a cross sectional survey design and data were collected through questionnaires and interviews as primary sources of data collection supplemented by documentary review as the secondary source of data collection. The findings revealed that there were some academic achievements of the BRN initiative in the students‟ academic achievements However, by far and large, the trend of performance remained more or less the same. Again the implementation of BRN Initiative do face some challenges like insufficient provision of capitation grants, lack of basic facilities like laboratories and libraries, lack of in service teacher training, lack of teacher motivation, lack of community awareness on the initiative and student‟s absenteeism and drop out. The study recommends for teaching and learning environments to be improved, teachers to update their knowledge through in service training and encouraging accountability among different government and education Officials for successfulness of any education initiative.