Availability and use of school laboratory facilities and their influence on students’ achievement in sciences: a case of secondary schools in trans-Nzoia district

Abstract

Laboratory activities offer important experiences in the learning sciences that are unavailable in other school disciplines. For many years, laboratory experiences have been shown to promote key science education goals (Hudson, 1993). This implies that laboratory experiences are therefore very important to a student as they enhance better understanding of science and lead to better performance in sciences. Lack of adequate exposure to practical work has been noted as one of the contributing factors to dismal performance in examinations. G.O.K (1995) observes that some students saw and handled experimental equipments only during national examinations. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate availability and use of school laboratory facilities and their influence on students’ achievement in sciences in secondary schools in Trans- Nzoia district A descriptive survey research design was employed targeting a population of two hundred and seventy one teachers, fifty four head teachers and fifty four laboratory assistants in fifty four Public Secondary schools in Trans-Nzoia district. A sample of one hundred and eight science teachers, twenty two head teachers and twenty two laboratory assistants was selected through stratified random sampling method. Questionnaires were used in data collection. Interview schedules and checklist for laboratory assistants were also used in the study. Frequency distribution tables, percentages and means were used to summarize the data, while chi-square was used to test the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.The study findings supported the premise that quality and adequate use of laboratory facilities in schools impact on students’ achievement in science subjects. It further noted that good laboratory facilities (95.5%) contribute to good performance in sciences. Lack of apparatus (88%), chemicals (86.1%), and laboratory furniture (79.6%) among others were some of the factors that hinder students from handling/ manipulating the apparatus on their own. This implies that the students are deprived of the necessary skills that can make them be able to carry out an experiment on their own hence hindering them from performing well in sciences.