Perceptions of Inquiry Based Learning in SMASSE INSET in Students’ Academic Achievement in Physics in Merti Sub- County, Kenya

Inquiry Based Learning Approach (IBL) is a student centered approach which prompts learners thinking through asking of questions, problems and presentation of real life situations. The objective of the study were: to determine how critical thinking skills taught in SMASSE influenced students academic achievement in physics in Merti Subcounty; to dtermine how students activeness in class taught in SMASSE influences students academic achievement in Physics; to determine how roup activities and learner participation in class as taught in SMASSE influences student academic achievement in Physics in Merti subcunty, Kenya .The study employed descriptive survey research design and targeted two(2) SMASSE trainers, 8 physics teachers and 170 physics students. The research used simple random sampling in selecting the 170 students from the eight (8) sampled schools. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings show that SMASSE trainers perception mean was 4.64 as compared to physics teachers 4.14 and students 4.06 implying that the trainers strongly agree while the teachers and students agree that IBL approach taught in SMASSE INSET influences students academic achievement in Physics. Correlation analysis results showed that there was a strong positive relationship between Critical thinking skills taught in SMASSE INSET and student’s academic achievement in Physics with R-value of 0.718 significant at 95% confidence level (P=0.000. Students activeness had a correlation value of 0.937 which is significant at P=0.000 at 95% confidence level. This shows a very strong positive relationship between students’ activeness in class and students’ academic achievement in physics. Group activeness and learner participation in class had a correlation value of 0.943 (p=0.000) at 95% confidence level which signified a very strong positive relationship between student group activities taught in SMASSE INSET and student’s academic achievement in physics. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education and CEMASTEA should increase the frequency of physics teachers SMASSE INSET to enhance positive results of the school.