Teaching and learning resources in Kiswahili in secondary schools

Abstract

Existing studies indicate that teaching and learning resources positively influence performance. However, challenges of resources may diminish effectiveness in teaching and learning leading to poor performance. The study focused on challenges of resources and the strategies for coping with the challenges in teaching of Kiswahili in public secondary schools in Hamisi Sub-county, Vihiga County, Kenya. Study population was 4,106 form four students, 139 Kiswahili teachers, 47 principals and 1 Quality Assurance and Standards Officer. Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) formula was used to select a sample of 351 form four students and purposive sampling was used to select 42 form four teachers of Kiswahili. Saturated sampling technique was used to select 42 principals and 1 QASO. In this study, questionnaires, interview schedule and observation checklist were used in data collection. Quantitative data was analysed by descriptive statistics involving frequencies, means and percentages and presented on tables. Qualitative data was categorized into themes and reported in verbatim excerpts. The findings revealed challenges of inadequacy of various resources at a mean rating of 2.79. There were strategies for coping with these challenges. The main strategy was government funding highly applied at 3.00. Other strategies lowly applied were; improvisation at 2.20, provision by parents at 2.02 and donations at 1.58. Other strategies that emerged from the study were; live shows of set books by theatre groups, borrowing of resources, use of past examination papers, encouraging sharing of books, acquisition of personal books and use of the internet. Conclusions from the study were; schools have challenges of inadequate resources. Schools have various strategies for coping with the challenges applied at different extents. The study recommends that schools avail adequate resources in teaching and learning Kiswahili. Schools can adopt and strengthen the strategies to cope with the challenges of resources. The study findings may benefit teachers, scholars, curriculum developers, policy makers and other interested parties in understanding the challenges of resources, adopting and strengthening the strategies as well as seeking solutions to the challenges in order to improve the teaching and learning process.