Institutional Factors and Academic Performance of Girls in Mixed-day Secondary Schools in Wajir County

Abstract

Institutional factors significantly influence girls’ academic achievement by shaping the quality of learning environments, teaching practices, school leadership, and resource availability. Despite government efforts to improve girls’ education in Kenya, performance gaps persist, particularly in marginalised regions such as Wajir County. Moreover, existing literature has often examined institutional factors in isolation, overlooking how teacher quality, school management, infrastructure, and gender-responsive policies collectively influence girls’ examination outcomes in marginalised contexts. Consequently, a conceptual and empirical knowledge gap remains concerning how institutional factors specifically affect girls’ academic performance in Wajir County. This study examined the influence of institutional factors on the academic performance of girls in mixed-day secondary schools in Wajir County, focusing on teaching quality, infrastructure, management practices, and school climate. Grounded in Social Capital Theory, the study adopted a mixed-methods research design that combined quantitative and qualitative approaches. The target population comprised 532 participants, including Form Four students, class teachers, school administrators, and the County Director of Education. A sample of 209 respondents comprised 203 students selected through stratified random sampling and six class teachers selected purposively. Data were collected using questionnaires and interview guides. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis in SPSS version 30, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings indicated that teaching quality, school infrastructure, school management, and school climate each contributed positively and statistically significantly to girls’ academic performance. The study recommends that the County Director of Education and school boards strengthen teacher supervision to curb absenteeism, prioritise the allocation of learning materials, and institutionalise gender-responsive academic support and mentorship programmes that sustain girls’ participation through to university-qualifying grades.