Influence Of School Social Environment on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

Despite substantial investment in physical educational facilities, many well-equipped public secondary schools in Kenya continue to experience declining academic performance, suggesting that non-physical factors may play a more significant role in student achievement than previously recognized. This gap in understanding the influence of school social environment on academic outcomes necessitated investigation beyond traditional infrastructure-focused approaches. The study determined the influence of school social environment on students' academic performance in public secondary schools in Machakos County. Using descriptive survey design grounded in social learning theory, the research targeted a population of 14,894 comprising 19 school principals, 483 teachers, and 14,392 students from national and extra-county schools. Through stratified and purposive sampling techniques, 315 respondents were selected: 10 principals, 30 teachers, and 275 students from 10 schools. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires with 24 behavior sub-indicators measuring four social environment dimensions: teacher-student interpersonal interactions, student-student interpersonal interactions, learner characteristics (motivation and involvement), and principal leadership styles. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 2016. Findings revealed that school social environment significantly influenced academic performance, with 82% of respondents affirming this relationship through descriptive analysis. Inferential analysis demonstrated statistically significant positive correlations across all dimensions: teacher-student interactions (R=0.65, R²=42.4%, p<0.001), student-student interactions (R=0.91, R²=82.1%, p<0.001), learner motivation (R=0.96, R²=91.8%, p<0.001), learner involvement (R=0.93, R²=87.1%, p<0.001), and principal leadership styles (R=0.91, R²=82.8%, p<0.001). Combined social environment factors accounted for 96.3% of variance in academic performance (adjusted R²=0.963, p<0.001). The most influential factors identified were teacher approachability for consultation, student respect for teachers, healthy peer competition, active classroom participation, goal-setting encouragement, and performance recognition. The study concludes that school social environment constitutes a primary determinant of academic performance, surpassing the traditional emphasis on physical infrastructure. These findings provide evidence-based direction for educational stakeholders to prioritize social environmental improvements. The research recommends that the Ministry of Education, school administrators, and teachers focus on developing positive interpersonal relationships, fostering collaborative learning environments, enhancing student motivation and engagement, and implementing transformational leadership practices. Similar investigations should be extended to other school categories and counties to validate these findings across diverse educational settings.