Biology Education: A Teachers Perspective on the Challenges in the Delivery of Content and Performance in Biology. A Case of Bungoma County, Kenya

Abstract

Biology is a teaching and learning subject at secondary school level in Kenyan schools. Higher education does not exist in isolation but is a build up from knowledge gained at lower levels of education. Biology plays a key role in industrialization and other sectors of the economy. Biology is practical subject, which equips students with concepts and skills that are useful in solving the day-to day problems of life. The study of biology aims at providing the learner with the necessary knowledge with which to control or change the environment for the benefit of an individual, family or community. However, the secondary school students’ performance in biology as a learning subject in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in Bungoma District has been quite low over the years. The public outcry and concern by parents, teachers, educationists and students about poor performance in science subjects and mathematics in national examinations is a clear indication that factors influencing student’s performance in these subjects need urgent investigation. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of teacher related factors on performance of secondary school students in biology. The Cross-sectional descriptive research design was employed in this study. Nine (9) secondary schools were randomly selected for study