Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between teachers' efficacy
in post-election violence intervention and standard seven pupils' academic
performance. The research was carried out in Nakuru Municipality. The objectives of
the study were to investigate whether efficacy in post-election violence intervention on
standard seven pupils' academic performance was affected by teachers' gender, age
and academic level, length of experience and previous training in guidance and
counseling. The study was based on two theories both by Albert Bandura. The first
theory was on social learning which states that except for primary reflexes behavior is
largely acquired through observation-imitation and the second one was on self-efficacy
which states that self-efficacy is the individuals belief about his/her capacity to
produce designated levels of performance that exercise influence over events that
affect his/her life. A sample of27 primary schools in the municipality was purposively
selected from a total of 96 schools. Then 27 Class seven class teachers answered a 5-
point scale efficacy questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using Statistical
Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 10. The level of significance was set at
an alpha level of significance 0.05 with one degree of freedom (df). It was found out
that teachers' gender had X2= 10.255, df= 6, p = 0.115; Cramer's V= 0.616 and age
had r = -0.17, p= 0.198. In addition, academic level had rho= -0.107, p= 0.297 while
length of experience had r = -0.105, p= 0.302. Lastly previous training in guidance and
counseling children in difficult circumstances had X2= 7.174, df= 6, p = 0.846;
Cramer's, V= 0.515. These findings indicate that the demographic data of teachers had
little or no influence on their efficacy in assisting children affected by post-election
violence recover from trauma and its effects on academic performance. Thus all
teachers can assist pupils' to recover from trauma and hence improve their academic
performance. In addition, the current study noted that over 40% of the teachers were
unhappy serving as class teachers. This, the study noted could undermine them in their
added responsibilities as class teachers. Therefore the study wishes to observe that
class teachers playa critical role in the personality and academic development of
pupils. It is therefore necessary for institutional heads to select teachers who are ready
to serve in this capacity. The study therefore recommends for the establishment of
clear procedures and qualifications that individual teachers should meet before being
selected to serve as class teachers. The study also noted that class teachers played up to
three critical roles in their schools-teaching, administrative and psychosocial support
which in the opinion of the current study, is not only overburdening but also distracts
them from developing competencies in specific areas. The result of this is absence of
appreciable performance in any of these roles. Arising from the findings, this study
recommends for the creation of specific offices to handle psychosocial problems that
pupils may suffer from. Such offices should be manned by teachers with reasonable
workload that affords them opportunity to effectively respond to pupils in distress