Browsing by Author "Murithi, G.G"

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Interpersonal Adaptation On Academic Achievement Among Boys and Girls Students in Boarding Secondary Schools in Meru County, Kenya.
(Chuka University, 2017) Nyaga, V.K.; Murithi, G.G
Academic achievement among secondary school students in Kenya is important because this determines future chances for advancement in life in terms of career options, further studies and sociopolitical appointments in the society. Hence, there is need to examine factors that may influence academic achievement among secondary school students in the country for which adaptation in school is key. Consequently, this study sought to examine the impact of interpersonal adaptation on academic achievement among secondary school students with special emphasis on comparing boys and girls in boarding secondary schools in Meru County in Kenya. The study employed the descriptive survey research design on a sample size of 384 students, school counsellors and deputy principals in boarding secondary schools in Meru County. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect the required data. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as means, standard deviations and t-test statistic were used to analyze the data with the aid of the Scientific Package for Social Sciences version 20.0. Data analysis results revealed that although interpersonal adaptation impacted positively on academic achievement, there were no significant differences in the impact between boys and girls in boarding secondary schools. Thus, to improve and sustain academic achievement among secondary school students, measures need to be put in place to enhance interpersonal relationships among students as well as between students and school staff, school administrators, relatives and parents.
Psychosocioeconomic Challenges of Student Motherhood and Coping Mechanisms: A Multiple Case Study of Two Student Mothers in Kenyan Universities.
(Chuka University, 2017) Oundo, M.B; Murithi, G.G
University Education requires resources in terms of finances, physical facilities, time, commitment, peer educators and mentorship to ensure academic excellence and professionalism. Besides pursuit of academic and career goals, undergraduate students tend to explore intimate relationships some of which result into student motherhood. However, balancing motherhood obligations and University Education demands can be a daunting task especially for undergraduate student mothers who have loaded academic programmes. This paper examined the psychosocioeconomic challenges of student motherhood and coping mechanisms. The research employed a multiple case study design. Detailed case information was obtained from two student mothers in Kenyan Universities. The participants were purposively identified from University Counselling Offices’ client booking dairies. Self-administered interview and observation forms were used to collect data. The findings indicated that student mothers were ill prepared for demands of motherhood, experienced burnout from the burden of childcare, lacked adequate support from husbands and family members, felt socially neglected by friends, were left out during academic tours, spent much money on hospital bills and had to pay more rent for lack of relevant hostels. To cope with these challenges, student mothers skipped lectures owing to childcare responsibilities, preplanned activities to ensure mandatory tasks were carried out, relied on friends and well-wishers for childcare in order to attend tests and examinations, deferred studies, lived on tight budgets, sought financial support from “sponsors”, solicited funds from friends and family members, redefined social boundaries and secured counselling services. Stakeholders disseminate pertinent information regarding student motherhood to all University students, hostel owners to provide services as well as facilities that are sensitive to student mothers and University Student Welfare Departments to initiate student mothers’ social support groups.