Teachers and students perceptions of school routine in boarding secondary schools in Wakiso District

Abstract

The study was set to establish the teachers and students perceptions of school routine in regard to academic performance of students in selected secondary schools within Wakiso District. Its objectives included assessing the perceptions of teachers and students on routine school teaching timetable, examine routine internal assessment and evaluation, routine co-curricular activities in regard to overall the academic performance of students in boarding secondary schools in Wakiso District. The study adopted a descriptive survey design in which questionnaires were used to collect data from 96 participants who constituted both students in candidate classes and their respective class teachers from 8 secondary schools. Interviews were also held with head teachers and the deputies. The data was analyzed at univariate level using means and standard deviations. The based on the teachers and students perceptions, the study found a moderate effect of instructional timetables on the academic performance of students (Mean = 3.71, S.D = 1.16). It also established a moderate effect of internal formative assessment and evaluations on students’ academic performance (Mean = 3.67, S.D = 1.26). Findings also showed on the overall a fair influence of co-curricular activities on students’ academic performance (Mean = 3.89, S.D =1.10). The study based on the objectives and results concluded that teachers and students perceive that increased use of various school teaching timetables influenced the overall academic performance of students. It also concluded that internal formative assessment and evaluations where tests and exams are well supervised and the marks used as a reference record had a moderate effect on student’ academic performance just as the extension of co-curricular activities to students permits high cognitive, affective and psychomotor abilities of learners and fairly allow development of higher academic aspirations, goals and attitudes among participating students. The study therefore recommended among others that the schools management and administration should support and supervise timetabling mechanisms that only permit acceptable levels and deny excessive teaching during prep time and weekends. It also recommended that the government through its policy makers and planners at the Ministry of Education and Sports should design and institute alternative academic learning approaches for students who demonstrate better performance in co-curricular activities if academic performance in secondary schools is to be improved.