HOUSEHOLD POVERY AND ITS IMPACT ON

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN THE PRIMARY

SCHOOLS: A CASE OF STUDY OF OGOR SUB-
COUNTY OTUKE DISTRICT

BY

AKELLO LUCY

15/U/16065/DEPE/BOR

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE

DEPARTMENT OF DISTANCE LEARNING IN
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE
DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION PRIMARY (DEPE) OF
KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

JANUARY, 2019
 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
This chapter presents the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the
study, objectives of the study, research questions to be addressed, scope of the study and the
significance of the study.

1.1 Background to the study

Ogor Sub-county is located in Otuke district in the Northern region of Uganda (Lango sub-
region). However, the economy is based on two main activities, subsistence agriculture and
animal husbandry with more than 80% of the population engaging in either or both activities.

Household poverty is the oldest and the worst resistant virus that brings about a devastating
disease in many countries throughout the globe. Its rate of willing cannot the compared to any
disease from the genesis of mankind. It’s worse than malaria and HIV/AIDs which are
claimed to be the highest killer disease (Tazoacha, 2001).

According to the Westower (2008) the word poverty originated from a Latin word ‘pauper’
meaning poor, which has its route in the words “pau” and “aprie” that is ‘giving birth to
nothing’ reforming to unproductive livestock and farmland similarly, the idea that some
people are trapped in poverty while others have spells in poverty is a central element of most
analysis (Hulme and Mackay, 2005).

In Africa, despite the renewed commitment over the past 15 years and more to poverty
reduction as the core objective of international development discourses and policies progress
to this end remains disappointing. This is particularly evidenced in the extent to which the
world is off track to achieve most of the development goals, globally and most regions and
countries (UNDP, 2003). This inadequate progress raised important questions about
policies and strategies that have been adopted to achieve poverty reduction, as well as about
key international issues including debt, aid and trade.

In view of world bank (2007) conditions can be expressed as poor if people live on a per
capita income lower than US$ 370 at any given time or as being extremely poor by living on
less than US$ 1 per day, and moderately by living on less than US $ 2daily. It further pointed
that poverty as a condition is not only confined to developing nation, but it is also a universal
phenomenon that can be observed in a set of social problems including, homeless and the
persistence of “ghetto” housing clusters.
1
Nonetheless, understanding household poverty matters because of the scale and depth of
poverty found in many developing countries. Poverty reduction is now at the core of
developing policy making and a very commitment of donor agencies. There is considerable
disagreement however, over the extent of poverty and its impact on academic performance
and whether it is increasing or dreading worldwide (World Bank, 2000).

Poverty, can be classified as ‘relative poverty ‘and ‘absolute poverty’. According to

Copenhagen Declaration (2014), absolute poverty is a state illustrated by strict deficiency of
fundamental human requirement, which include food, clean water for drinking, cleanliness
facilities, education, wealth, information and shelters.

Relative poverty on the other hand is said to exist within a country as compared to other rich
countries, For example people in a country might be earning more than $ 1 per day but are
still poorer. Therefore relative poverty is a measure of inequality prevailing in the society in
all aspects of life including education, rather than deprivation of wealth. For measure takes
into account the yearly income of a person however, his total wealth is not accounted for this
measure.

Uganda country study of the sector (Bakeine, 2010) identified three main challenges which
include lack of adequate capital due to limited access to credit and financial services, poor
technical and business skills and poor working characterized by lack of worksites frequent
harassment by law enforcers and a regressive tax fee structure. Similarly, in recent decades,
wealth and income inequality between the rich and the poor has exacerbated. Among other
things, this viciously limits the opportunity available to certain sectors of the population; thus
increasing social disparities and tension between groups. As Sawhill (2003) points out, “not
only does behavior matter, it matters more than it used to”. However, the effects of poverty
on behavior and academic performance go beyond an attitude problem. It is therefore, upon
this basis that the researcher is prompted to investigate on household poverty and its impact
on academic performance in the primary schools, a case study of Ogor Sub-county in Otuke
district.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Poverty has many dimensions including low and highly variable levels of income and
consumption , physical insecurities , poor health , low levels of education, disempowerment ,
a heavy burden of work or unemployment and isolation that is to say both social and
geographical (world bank, 2006)

2
 However, despite government intervention to alleviate poverty, the local leaders and
the church, due to its proximity to the poor, has remained one of the major
stakeholders of poverty alleviation in the rural areas through the provision of essential
social services and promotion of income- generation programs, especially in the area
of health, education, employment and small scale businesses entrepreneurship.

The problem of household poverty especially in Ogor Sub-county has persisted despite the
various efforts by government and the church to alleviate it. Its confined existence has
impacted negatively on the overall development efforts within the community as well as
pupils’ academic performance in schools. Uganda participatory poverty assessment project
(2000) identified large size household, lower education level attained by the household heads,
low asset holdings and insufficient expenditure on essential needs of life as the most

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate on the household poverty and its impact on
academic performance in the primary schools.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

This study will be guided by the following objectives;
i. To find out the causes of household poverty in Ogor Sub-county.
ii. To find out the extent to which household poverty affects pupils’ academic
performance in the primary schools?
iii. To establish the strategies that can be used to improve upon pupils’ academic
performance in the primary schools.

1.5 Research Questions

This study will be guided by the following research questions;
i. What are the causes of household poverty in Ogor Sub-county?
ii. To what extent does household poverty affects pupils’ academic performance in
the primary schools?
iii. What are the strategies to improve upon pupils’ academic performance in the
primary schools?

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study will be conducted in Ogor sub-county in Otuke district. It will cover four different
primary schools all located within the sub-county. The sub-county is given preference
because it is within the easy reach of the researcher as she is constrained resourcefully.

3
However, the study will be limited to household poverty and its impact on academic
performance in the primary schools.

1.7 Significance of the Study

The success of this study might be beneficial to the following categories of people;
i. The findings will help policy makers to realize the importance of sensitization to curb
the problem of poverty
ii. The findings will assist the government to design strategies in a bid to reduce poverty.
iii. The findings will help non- governmental organizations to invest their resources to
help the common people
iv. Finally the researcher also expects the findings of the study to stimulate further
research work on poverty.

1.8 Limitations of the study

The researcher is likely to face the following challenges during the study;
i. Some respondents may not return the filled questionnaires within the specified
period of time.
ii. Some respondents may demand for bribes in order to unveil the right information.
iii. Bad weather condition due to too much rainfall.
iv. Some respondents may think the researcher is a governments spy and therefore,
may fail to provide the required information.

1.9 Delimitations
In order to curb the challenges, the researcher;
i. Will have to make a follow up on those respondents who shall delay with the
filled questionnaires.
ii. Shall use persuasive language to explain to the respondents who may demand for
bribes and the relevance of the study.
iii. Shall have to carry along with her, an umbrella in order to solve the problem of
bad weather conditions
iv. To those who may suspect her to be a government spy, she will explain that the
study is purely for academic purpose.

4
 CHAPTER TWO
LITERETURE REVIEW
2. 0. Introduction
This chapter presents the relevant literature on the causes of poverty, the effects and the
strategies that can be used to improve upon pupils’ academic performance in the primary
schools.

2.1 Causes of Poverty

Poverty has multiple and complex causes. However, SIDA (2005) views these multi –
dimensional causes as stemming from lack of information, knowledge about market prices
for the goods they deal in, issues related to health, availability of public services and their
rights. The study argued that there is a political minority which lacks the visibility and voice
as regards to situations that shape their lives. Poor people are also said to lack relevant skills
and knowledge, education and personal development that could improve their livelihoods.
According to World Bank (2001) poverty is caused by corruption and poor governance, poor
land utilization and land tenure system, civil wars and unending political conflicts, poor
infrastructure, disease and poor health facilities. It is also characterized by lack of
participation in decision making in civil social and cultural life. Poverty also has various
manifestations which include lack of income and production resource sufficient to ensue
sustainable livelihood hunger and malnutrition , ill health or lack of access to education and
other basic services increased mobility and mortality from illness, homelessness ,
inadequate , unsafe and degraded environment and social discrimination.

In addition to those studies, De Haan and Sinzingire (2000) noted that poverty could also be
caused by general exclusion of the people from social life. To them, exclusion reflects from
social life. To them, exclusion reflects discrimination, which is a process that defines
individual from full participation in material exchange or interaction. The concept is tied to
exclusion from labour market, long term unemployment and the destination of the social links
and integration that usually accompany works.

According to Ghana poverty reduction strategy (2004) poverty may be caused by;

 The lack of capacity of poor to influence social processes, public policy choices and
resources allocations.
 Low capacities through lack of education, vocational skills, entrepreneurial abilities poor
health and poor quality of life.
 Exposure to risks through lack of financial social and physical security.
5
 Low levels of consumption through lack of access to capital, social assets, and land and
market opportunities.
 Inadequate environmental protection measures.
 The inability of the national economy to optimize benefits within the global system.
 Other factors leading to vulnerability and exclusion.

Narayan et al (2000) identified the factors which lead to poverty as: lack of skills, vocational
disadvantage and other factors that are inherent in the social and political

Set-up; and the transitional causes that are mainly due to structural adjustment reforms and
changes in domestic economic policies that may result in police changes, un employment and
manmade disasters such as wary, environmental degradation and so on also induce poverty.

Patterson (2000) put forward that the “culture of poverty “ thesis , which emanated from the
anthropological arguments of Lewis (1970), later came to be erroneously associated with
laying blame for poverty either on the poor themselves or on a government that keeps them
dependent. Along these lines, it is the deficient later factor of the; - poor along with the
deviant behaviour on the resultant self reinforcing environment that restricts the access to
economic viability and success. Rising rates of divorce, female headed single parent families,
teenage pregnancies, drug / alcohol misuse and criminal activity are said to reflect the
dysfunctional attitudes and values, relative main stream society, about family, education and
work. These attitudes are passed onto subsequent generations leading to vicious cycles
poverty from which few escape (Rodgers, 2000)

Massey and Denton (1993) argue that institutional racism is general and residential
segregation in particular is a critical structural level cause of severe poverty in the black
community. However they contend that segregation took hold, the black communities in the
inner cities reacted by creating in oppositional culture that devalues work, schooling and
marriage and stresses attitudes and behaviors that are antithetical and often hostile to success
in the larger economy. ‘P. 8)

2.2 The Effects of Poverty

A study by Oyugi et al (2004) put forward that poverty in the socio – economic circles is
related to people’s inability to meet their needs. It is associated with characteristics such as
landlessness and unemployment ; the inability to provide food for oneself and family , the
lack of a decent knowing and the state of not being able to provide quality education to
school children thus hindering their academic performance and it also leads to poor health
6
and lack of access to medical care. The study argues the whole economists and social
scientists wrote about poverty, and that it is many faced, ‘many layered and multi-
dimensional.

Karl white’s article on the relationship between social economic status and educational
performance put forward that family characteristics such as home atmosphere has shown to
have a much larger role in or academics for example , low – income households tend to
create an environment with less exposure to vocabulary than upper class families. In upper
class households, children hear about 15 million more words than those in low income
homes. As a result only 58 percent of poor children start school ready to learn, according to a
(2002) study. Furthermore, students living in poverty also deal with noises at homes, as well
as stress from living in harsh conditions. Each of these things create a stressful environment
in poor students personal lives thus poor academic performance.

In addition, the economics costs of poverty in the United States (2007) put forward that there
is a correlation between childhood poverty and the experience of poverty later in life. The
study argued that young children living in poverty are more likely to have cognitive,
behavioral all socio- emotional difficulties as well as completing fewer years of school and
experiencing more years of unemployment throughout their life time.

According to Robert Wood Foundation (2008), school children living in poverty are more
likely to suffer from poor health which affects the overall quality of their school life and well
beings of a community. The study argued that the poor health outcome translate into dollars
least in a community due to loss in productivity, unemployment and shorten life expectancy
with research indicating that adults living in poverty can expect to live at least six and half
years less than those with high income individuals with limited resources not only utilize the
emergency from the primary core also have higher rates of chronic diseases.

Poverty is linked to lower educational attainment within a community and affects individuals
from early childhood. Children living in poverty are much more likely to lack resources
which contribute to successful education outcomes. In addition, they are more likely to live
in neighborhoods that have limited resources and low preferring schools. However,
neighbors with concentrate poverty impede children from socializing, having position role
models and experiencing other factors crucial for healthy development (US department of
Education, 2011). Robert Wood Jackson Foundation (2011) put forward that lack of
resources within communities has a direct effect on public safety. For example, individual
living in areas of
7
concentrated poverty with low housing value and high school graduation rate are at high risk
of death from homicide. In addition, high exposure to alcohol or drugs and other inequalities
all increase the likelihood of crime in at risk communities.

A study by Mckernan (2010) asserts that school children from poor families are more likely
to be poor adults, more likely to drop out of school, more likely to become a teenaged parent,
and more likely to have employment problems. Although only one percent of children who
are not poor end up being poor as young adults. Furthermore, the poor are at a greater risk for
family problems, including divorce and domestic violence. Children can cause stress;
therefore, families that are poor have more stress because of their poverty.

With regard to housing, the poor are not surprisingly, more likely to be homeless than the non
poor but also more likely to live in dilapidated housing and unable to buy their own homes.
Many families living in poverty spend more than half of their income on rent, and they tend
to live in poor conditions and thus fail to send their children to good schools that may provide
quality education. However, the lack of adequate housing for the poor remains a problem.
Even worst in outright homeless (Lee et-al, 2010).

According to Bakalar (2011), people living in poverty are more likely to have more health
problems, including infant mortality, earlier adulthood mortality, and antenatal illness, and
they are more likely to receive inadequate medical care. Poor children are likely to have
inadequate nutrition and partly for this reason, to suffer health, behavioral and cognitive
problems, however, the problems in turn impair their ability to do well in school and land
stable employment as adults, helping to ensure that poverty will persist across generations

2.3 Strategies to improve upon pupils’ academic performance in the primary schools

Kimmel (2001) asserts that the class room is the most important area of the school because it
is the area where the students and teachers spend most of their time and where most of the
learning process takes place. According to Mills (1974), the physical conditions under which
a class is working affects the children’s moral and their degree of motivation. The study
argued that there is need to improve the physical conditions of the school in a bid to improve
pupils’ performance.

Farrant (1997) and Farombi (1998) define physical facilities as facilities that are available to
facilitate students’ learning. It includes books, audio visuals, software and hardware of
educational technology, size of classroom, sitting position and arrangement, availability of
tables, chairs, chalkboards, and shelves where instruments for practical are arranged.
8
Akande (1985) asserts that learning can occur through one’s interaction with the
environment. He further argued that provision of enough physical facilities at school can
motivate more learners to school and improve their academic performance as well.

A study by Mutabi (2008) put forward that most of the family’s income is spent on the basic
needs of the family including food, health, shelter and clothing. In a similar study, Kojo and
Mayo (2008) asserted that marital and family problems that culturally lead to divorced or
separation have led to many rural families to have large families to take core of. This
attitudes and perceptions continue to influence children’s learning in many African
communities today. The study argued that parents and the school managers should
collaborate in a bid to improve on the pupils’ academic performance in schools.

According to West (1980) cited in Oturge (2004), large number in a family result in
overcrowding in the home and this may in turn have a deleterious effect in all aspects of life.
West further adds that parents in overcrowded accommodation in poor tenements cannot
protect or provide enough for their children. The study argued for the need to sensitize
parents on home management so that they are able to provide for their family and thus send
their children to school.

Orodho (2005) in his study on access and participation in Kenyan schools found that physical
facilities and infrastructural materials are quite crucial to students learning. When classrooms
ate congested, desks are inadequate and so are texts books, learners can be tempted to leave
or change school. Similarly, Hyde (1989) put forward that the number of classes, availability
of libraries, ratio of toilets verses students, defines an ideal environment for learning as it
makes boys and girls feel safe and able to achieve their full intellectual, and emotional
potentials. However, an ideal school environment motivates more learners to school and
therefore, better learning.

Physical facilities determine the quality of the school which in turn influences the
achievements and enrollment rates of its pupils. Studies show that lack of privacy for girls
such as absence or poor toilet facilities contribute to periodic truancy and ultimately lead to
some girls dropping out of schools (Kwesiga, 2002). According to Mutai (2006), provision
of conducive classrooms and laboratories can make the subject very interesting and exciting
to the learners hence good performance in class.

According to African Education in Focus (2010) journal, reading books are not the only
problems that face schools in the side of teaching materials and equipments. There is

9
inadequate supply of many few things in schools, just to mention a few like desks, tables,
maps, pictures and posters. The absence of these has a negative impact on the learners’
enrolment in schools. The study argued that educational stakeholders such as the ministry of
education and sports should provide enough learning materials and equipments in order to
improve on the learners’ enrolment as well as academic performance in the primary schools.

The poor state of the schools is one of the major problems hindering pupils’ learning in
developing countries. Research indicates that many schools are not able to provide for mid
day meals for their learners. According to Uduku (2011), there is need to advocate for mid
day meals in schools in a bid to improve pupils’ learning and their academic achievements.

10
 CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction

This chapter presents the method the researcher will employ to conduct the study. The
research design, study population, sampling techniques, research instruments, research
procedures and data analysis.

3.1. Research design

The researcher will use a descriptive survey design to conduct the study. This method is
preferred because it describes views, opinions and attitudes of respondents.

3.2 Study population

The study population will be selected from four different primary schools all located within
Ogor sub-county in Otuke district. However, the researcher will gather the information from
the following categories of people;

- Five teachers from each school making a total of 20 teachers. Teachers are preferred
because they have direct link with the pupils in their respective classrooms and therefore,
can provide the required information.
- Five parents representatives from each school making a total of 20 parents. They are
preferred because they are part of the school community and therefore, can tell the extent
to which poverty can affect pupils’ learning at school.
- Five pupils from upper primary classes from each school making a total of 20 pupils.
They are given preference because they are the target group whose learning can be
affected by poverty.

3.3 Sample size

The sample size will include five teachers, parents, and pupils’ representatives from each
school.

11
Table 1: Showing sample size

Participants Number
Teachers 20
Parents’ representatives 20
Pupils 20
Total 60

3.4 Sampling technique

The researcher will use random sampling techniques during the study. The technique is
preferred because it provides equal chances for the members in the population to be included
in the study.

3.5 Research instruments

The researcher will use both questionnaires and interview guides to conduct the study.

Questionnaires

This will be employed to gather the information from the teachers respectively.
Questionnaires are preferred because they make it easy to handle many literate respondents
within the shortest time.

Interview guides

This will be used to both the parents and pupils’ representatives in a bid to gather their views.
This is because they obtain a lot of information from the other respondents since they give
direct answers.

3.6 Research procedures

After getting an introductory letter endorsed by the academic registrar, the researcher will
move from one school to another administering the questionnaires to teachers in day one. The
date to collect the filled questionnaires will be agreed by both the researcher and the
12
respondents. The researcher however, will set four separate days to meet with the parents and
the pupils’ representatives in a bid to gather the information on poverty and its impact on
pupils’ academic performance in the primary schools. Interview guides will be fully utilized
in the meetings.

3.7 Data Analysis

The investigator will code all the relevant information obtained from both questionnaires and
the interview guides as soon as they are gathered. The information will be organized topically
for easy accessibility and discussion. Qualitative method will be used for in-depth description
since data will be filled in different categories that will make it easy to quantify in
percentages.

13
 REFERENCES
Bakalar, N (2011, July 4). Researchers link detas to social ills. New York times, P. D5

Chultz. T. W. 1981. Investing in people; The economics of population Quality, University of

California Press.

De Hoan (2000) Social Exclusive: Towards a holistic understanding of depiction. In

Koherdonfer Lucius G. & Pleskovic B. (eds) Inclusion Justice and poverty Reduction Villa
Bosig Workshop 1999.

Hulme D. Mackay A. (2005). Identifying and measuring chronic poetry. Beyond monetary
measures CPRC India Working Paper 30.

Lee, B, Tyler K.A nad Wright , J.D. (2010)

Masey, D/S., &Denton, N.A. (1993). American Apartheid: Segregation and the making of the
underclass. Cambridge , M.A : Harvard University Press

Mckenan, S.M (2010). Child hood poverty persistence: facts and consequences. Washington
D.C : Urban institute press

Narayan, D: Patel, R: Sclafft, K: Radmacher, A and Koch – Schulte S. (2000). Voices of the
poor can anyone hear us? New York: Oxford University press.

nternational Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), 2001. Enabling the rural poor to
overcome their poverty strategic frame work for IFAD : 2002 – 2006

Oyugi A, & Onganga O (2004). Lakke Victoria Kenua an dits environs, resources
opportunities nad challenges. Kisumu : Osienala

Patterson, J.T. (2000) America’s struggle against poverty in the twentieth century.
Cambridge M.A : Harvard University Press

Robert Wood John Foundation (2508) overcoming obstacles to health

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Rodgers H.R (2000). American poverty in a new Era of Reform. New York: Me Sharpe

SIDA (2005). Health is Wealth. SIDA , Stiockhol Development report 2000 / 2001 New

York Oxford University Press

Tazoacha, F (2001). The causes and impact of poverty on sustainable development in

Africa. A paper presented at the conference held in Bordeus , France (Nov 22- 23, 2001)

The new homelessness revisited. Annual review of sociology 36, 501 – 521

UNDP (2003). Human Development Report. New York Oxford University Press.

US Department of education, national center of education statistics , institute of education

US. Department of state, Vol 6, No 3 (September), pp 18 Vasquez, I, 2001. Funding mass

poverty economic perspectives, An Electronic journal of the -21

Westover ,J. (2008) The record of micro finance ; the effectiveness / ineffectiveness of
microfinance programs as a means of alleviating poverty electronic journal of sociology.

Akanbi G.O. (2013). Home Grown school feeding and Health program in Nigeria; An
innovative approach to Boosting enrolment in public primary schools- A study of Osun state,
2002-2010. African symposium, 11(2), 8-12.

Oduku. (2011). School Building Design for feeding Program and Community Africa.
International Journal of Educational Development, 31, 59-66.

African Education Focus. (2010).

Orodho and Kombo (2002); Research Methodology Methods and Techniques, 2nd Edition.

Mutai, B.K (2006). How to write quality Research proposal; A complete and simplified.

Kwesiga J.C (2002); women Access to Higher Education in Africa; Uganda Experience
Foundation publishers LTO Kampala.

Farrant J.S (1997). Principles and practice of Education. Singapore: Longman.

Farombi, J.G (1998) Research concentration, Utilization and management as correlates

students’ Learning outcomes. Students’ learning outcomes. A study in school quality in Oyo
Estate. unpublished Ph.D Thesis, University of Iban.

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 APPENDICES

Appendix A: Questionnaires for teachers

Dear sir/madam,
My name is Akello Lucy, a student pursuing a Diploma in Education Primary External
(DEPE) of Kyambogo University. I am conducting a study on household poverty and its
impact on academic performance in the primary schools. You have been specifically chosen
to participate in the above study. Please endevour to give with confidence, all the required
information and your response will be treated with confidentiality.

1. Background information
Gender: Male Female

Age: 20-30 years 31- 40 years 41-50 years 51 years and above

Marital status: Married Single Divorced Widowed

2. Name of the school

……………………………………………………………………………
3. Do you have people in your community who experiences extreme poverty?
Yes No
4. If yes, what are the likely causes of poverty in your community?

i. ………………………………………………………………………………………
ii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
iii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
iv. ………………………………………………………………………………………
v. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
16
5. In your own opinion, how has poverty affected the pupils’ academic performance in the
primary schools?

i. ………………………………………………………………………………………
ii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
iii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
iv. ………………………………………………………………………………………
v. ……………………………………………………………………………………….

6. In your own opinion, what strategies can be used in a bid to improve upon pupils’
academic performance in the primary schools?

i. ………………………………………………………………………………………
ii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
iii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
iv. ………………………………………………………………………………………
v. ……………………………………………………………………………………….

Thank you for your cooperation

17
Appendix B: Interview guides for the parents and pupils’ representatives
Dear respondent (s)
My name is Akello Lucy, a student pursuing a Diploma in Education Primary External
(DEPE) of Kyambogo University. I am conducting a study on household poverty and its
impact on pupils’ performance in the primary schools. You have been specifically chosen to
participate in the above study. Please endevour to give with confidence all the required
information and your response will be treated with confidentiality.

1. Background information
Gender: Male Female

Age: 10-20 years 21- 30 years 31-40 years 41 years and above

Marital status: Married Single Divorced Widowed

2. Name of the parish

……………………………………………………………………………
3. Do you have people in your community who experience extreme poverty?

Yes No
4. If yes what are the likely causes of poverty in your community?

vi. ………………………………………………………………………………………
vii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
viii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
ix. ………………………………………………………………………………………
x. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
5. In your own opinion, how has poverty affected pupils’ academic performance in the
primary schools?

18
 i. ………………………………………………………………………………………
ii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
iii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
iv. ………………………………………………………………………………………
v. ………………………………………………………………………………………
6. What strategies can be used in a bid to improve upon pupils’ academic
performance in the primary schools?
i. ………………………………………………………………………………………
ii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
iii. ………………………………………………………………………………………
iv. ……………………………………………………………………………………
v. ………………………………………………………………………………………

Thank you for your co-operation

19