Students Perceptions on Effectiveness of Guidance Programmes in Enhancing Study Skills in Secondary Schools in Bungoma North Subcounty, Kenya

Abstract

Examination preparedness is essential in helping students do well in examinations. As a result many schools have put in place guidance programmes to equip students with examination preparedness skills. This study sought to establish the perceptions of students on the effectiveness of guidance programmes in enhancing student examination preparedness in secondary schools in Bungoma North Sub-county, Kenya. The study was guided by the social cognitive theory and the interference theory. The descriptive survey research design was used in this study. The target population was all students in secondary schools in Bungoma North Sub County. The accessible population was 2938 Form 4 students from 32 public secondary schools. Stratified sampling was used to select 9 secondary schools. Nassiuma’s formula and stratified and simple random sampling was used to obtain 186 student respondents. Students’ questionnaire was used to collect data. The validity of the research instruments was ensured by generating the quesionnaire items in line with the research objectives. The instrument was piloted using 30 Form 4 students from secondary schools in Bungoma South Subcounty who did not participate in the actual study. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics which included mean, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22. The study concluded that guidance programme was effective in enhancing study skills among students in secondary schools in Bungoma North Sub County. Hence, students perceived guidance programme as being helpful in enhancing study skills.