IMPACT OF CLASS SIZE ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN CHEMISTRY AT PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF SEBETA AWAS WOREDA, OROMIA REGION

Abstract

This study assessed the impact of class size on academic achievement of chemistry in secondary schools in Sebeta Awas Woreda. The study used descriptive survey research design whereby both qualitative and quantitative approaches were the basis of data collection and data analysis. A sample of three public secondary schools was selected using the simple random sampling technique. The population of the study comprised all the eight chemistry teachers, three principals, one vice principal, one supervisor and one hundred sixty-two students. Data was collected using questionnaire, interview, observation and document review and the analysis of the questions was done using descriptive statistics, frequency, percent, mean and standard deviation. The research questionnaires were validated by advisor, supervisor and two senior science teachers in secondary schools of Tefki and Awash Melka and the pilot-test method was used to ascertain its reliability with coefficients of 0.92 for the teachers’ questionnaires and 0.98 for the students’ questionnaires. The findings revealed that class size had negative impact on academic achievement in chemistry. It was also observed that class size has psychological and social impact on students’ academic achievement and negatively influence teacher’s quality of work and assessment, whereas, they are improved by small class size. It was recommended, among other suggestion, that governments should prioritize the construction of more building of additional classrooms and the employment of more teachers to provide solution to the problem of high students-teachers ratios. The students-teacher ratio should be 45:1 as suggested by National Policy on Education as against 70-112 and above as discovered from the study. As a long-term measure, the government should increase budget allocation to improve schools’ infrastructural facilities.