THE PREDICTIVE VALIDITY OFTHE KENYA CERTIFICATE OF PRIMARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION SCORES INDETERMINING ACADEMIC SUCCESS OFGIRLS: ACASE STUDY OF NATIONAL PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS
BY
NANJAKULULU J.W OWANAMBIRIFUMA
AStudy Project Report Submitted TotheUniversity OfNairobi inPartial Fulfillment of theRequirements forthe Master ofEducation Degree (M.Ed) inMeasurement and
Evaluation
2010
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ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to examine the validity of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination scores in predicting academic successes for girl's students in secondary schools in Kenya using Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) as a criterion measure. Success in secondary schools was measured by the level of examinee achievement in the Kenya using Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). The predictor variables areKCPE scores inEnglish, Kiswahili, Mathematics andoverallperformance inKCPE, thecriterion variable wasKCSE. Success insecondary school ismeasured bythelevel ofexaminee achievement inKCSE.
The process involves acase study onthe public National Secondary Schools inKenya, which bestrepresents the Kenya Society asintake inthose institutions isdone onquota system. They arethe most prestigious schools as they admit the top performing primary schools candidates across the nation. The facilities in those schools are comparable. Six girls' public national schools inKenya wereused inthesample. The2006KCSE datafor809examinees inthesample were used inthe analysis. The KCSE records for examinees in the same were matched with corresponding 2002 KCPE records. The nature ofrelationship between KCPE and KCPE was determined byuseofstepwise regression analysis.
Amoderate linear relationship between KCPE andKCSE wasfound. Thepredictive validity did notsignificantly varyfrom oneschool toother. Onlymathematics showed asignificant influence on the KCPE-KCSE predictive relationship. The relationship indicated that KCPE is a moderately validpredictor ofsuccess ofgirlsinsecondary school.