RANKING OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS IN NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS: THE PERCEPTION OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

The aim of the study was to investigate the teachers' and students' perception of ranking schools and students in national examinations. A descriptive survey design was used and secondary schools in Kakamega south district formed the study population. The sample frame consisted of 75 secondary schools stratified according to performance into low, average and top ranked categories. The sample size consisted of 36 schools (12 from each performance category) selected by simple random sampling and 252 respondents selected purposively from the 36 schools. Data collection instruments were questionnaires. Reliability was established by use of test retest technique. Most of the students and most head teachers approved of ranking while most of the teachers disapproved of ranking. Despite this stand on ranking, both the teachers and students felt that ranking should be improved and thus called for a system of assessment that encompassed all the aspects instead of focusing on academic performance only. This would ensure that ranking of schools and students did not glorify academic achievement at the expense of talent and other virtues.