The effect of PTA motivation strategies on academic performance in public secondary Schools: a case of Vol district, Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of PT A motivational strategies on academic performance in public secondary schools in Voi District. A lot of studies have been carried out on parental factors affecting academic performance, the leadership and management styles employed by the head teachers, BOG and teachers in relation to students' performance, motivational and job satisfaction needs of teachers, and also the effect of head teachers' motivational practices on teachers performance. However, in Voi district, the issue of motivation of both teachers and students by the PT A with regard to academic performance has not been given much attention, yet schools continue to perform dismally. This research was necessitated by concerns raised by education stakeholders, leaders and public outcry over persistent dismal performance of secondary schools from Voi district in national and joint/common exams yet parents, local communities and teachers continue to remain insensitive towards this problem. The study was guided by the following objectives:; identify teachers and students motivational needs; identify motivation strategies used by parents; determine parental involvement in motivating teachers and students and determine the effect of motivation strategies on academic performance. A descriptive survey research design was employed in the study. The study was based on Brophy et al (1999) Expectancy- Value Theory. A sample size of 540 respondents was selected from all the 11 public secondary schools with a population of 3,421 people using purposive, stratified and simple random sampling of head teachers and PTA members, students, and teachers respectively. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and interviews, and the secondary data was collected using document analysis. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution tables, and percentages was used to summarize the data. Chi-square was used to analyze the results to establish whether there was relationship between PTA motivational strategies and academic performance. The study found out that there was significant association between PTA motivation strategies and academic performance. For instance, motivation of teachers and students by parents led to improved discipline and work responsibility, early syllabus coverage and boosted their self-esteem to perform well. This was evident in one school that had an above average performance; whereby, a number of motivation strategies were implemented by few parents, namely: parents promptly paid school fees and PT A levies fees, contributed towards workshops, meetings and excursion trips, complemented teachers in monitoring students learning and school progress and set targets with students and teachers to improve academic performance. In conclusion, in most schools, there was still low parental participation in motivation of teachers and students, evident from parental • negligence in providing education needs and very little or non-involvement in school matters, hence hindering smooth operations of the schools and academic progress. Therefore, it was recommended that the school administration and other stakeholders should enlighten parents to participate in school matters by establishing proper channels and policies on school functions or meetings, open or visiting days, infrastructure development and diverse ways of income generating for schools in the form of school fees. Parents should also be sensitized and supported by CBOs and COF on their education role for both the children and schools through education forum in order to provide educational needs