Factors Responsible for Academic Deterioration in Traditional Ordinary Level Secondary Schools

It has been observed that there is a falling academic standard at a percentage of 0.5 (UBOS 2012) and the influencing factors include, teachers’ performance, government intervention and socio-economic background of the parents. In most African countries socio-economic back ground of the family is usually linked to the family’s income, parent’s educational level and parent’s occupation. The study was conducted to determine the factors responsible for academic deterioration among traditional ordinary level secondary schools in Ibaare sub-county, Bushenyi district. The study’s specific objectives were; • To determine whether teachers are responsible for the deterioration of traditional secondary schools. • To determine whether the student’s socio-economic family background is responsible for academic deterioration of traditional secondary schools. • To determine whether the government plays a role in academic deterioration of traditional ordinary level secondary schools A phenomenology method of data collection was used and a sample size of twenty participants was contacted. Primary data was collected using face to face interviews using semi-structured method and focus group discussions. The findings revealed that teachers are partly to blame for academic deterioration in ordinary level traditional secondary schools at a percentage of 0.3. It was also found out that the student’s socio-economic family back ground has an influence on the academic deterioration of students at 0.4 percent. It was also found out that the government is partly responsible for the deterioration of academic performance of ordinary level traditional secondary schools 0.1 (UBOS 2012). The research found out that improved teaching and learning methods can improve students’ academic performance among ordinary level traditional secondary schools. The researcher therefore recommended that teachers should change their teaching methods from teacher centered to learner centered approach. And to the government the researcher recommended that it should provide proper services and motivate teachers by providing good salaries and transport allowances if they are to give good services to learners.