Factors Affecting Students’ Academic Performance in High Schools of Gondar City Administration

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to examine major factors affecting academic performance of selected secondary school students in Gondar City Administration. In order to do it, descriptive survey design was employed. A total of 260 students, 90 teachers, 9 department heads and 3 directors were the sample population. Regarding sampling technique, students and teachers were selected using simple random sampling to fill the questionnaires. Directors were selected based on purposive sampling technique and department heads were selected based on random sampling technique for interview. Questionnaire and interview were the major data collection instruments used for the study. Mixed research method (quantitative and qualitative) was used and the data collected was analyzed using percentage for quantitative data and qualitative description for qualitative data. The findings of the study revealed that the major factors affecting students academic achievement in these schools were lack of students motivation to learn, students’ discipline problems, lack of teachers’ motivation to teach, inappropriate method of teaching, lack of appropriate parental support, the assignment of directors who are not specialized in the field of Educational planning and management, irrelevant curriculum, extra. Based on the findings, conclusions were made and recommendations were forwarded to solve the existing problems .Accordingly, students should be regularly motivated by their parents, teachers,extra. Students disciple problem should be reduced by giving advice continuously, teachers’ motivation to teach should be increased by giving incentives and their method of teaching should be improved by giving training, specialized directors in the field of Educational planning and management should be assigned, the existing curriculum should be revised, extra.