Rongo Sub-County Research Articles

Relationship between Self-Esteem and Academic Performance of Hearing-Impaired Students at Kuja School for the Deaf, Rongo Sub-County, Migori County, Kenya

Conducted in Kuja School for the Deaf, Rongo Sub-County, Migori County, the research investigated if there existed a relationship in academic performance between students with different levels of self-esteem. Study objectives sought to assess the levels of self-esteem, the academic performance of students with high or low self-esteem and how hearing-impaired students cope as they protect and enhance their self-esteem. Hierarchy of Needs theory propounded by Abraham Maslow guided the study. The theory states that individuals will strive to satisfy higher-level needs when lower needs in the hierarchy are fulfilled. The study also used Person-centred theory by Carl Rogers; this theory posits that a child will attain self-understanding when they accept the self and reality. This study was descriptive in nature and utilized a quantitative approach to collecting data with the use of a mixed questionnaire. The study used Rosenberg's self–esteem assessment tool for the measurement of self-esteem levels, academic performance was measured using examination scores, and coping mechanisms were measured using a Likert scale. Students and administrators of Kuja School for the Deaf made the target population for this study. In total, 290 participants were targeted, and 98 participants were sampled to participate in the study using purposive and simple random sampling. Quantitative data was organized and then analyzed using SPSS version 23; the data was displayed through tables, charts and frequency distributions. From the study, it was deciphered that a majority (77.08%) of the students exhibited high self-esteem, while a few (22.92%) portrayed low self-esteem. The findings also showed that the mean difference between hearing-impaired students showing low self-esteem and students who showed high self-esteem was not statistically significant. The findings further revealed that the students sometimes or often employ various coping strategies, including withdrawal and bicultural skills. This study, therefore, concluded that students with hearing impairment mostly exhibit high self-esteem, and their academic performance is not necessarily determined by self-esteem levels. Further, the study concluded that there are coping strategies that enable students with hearing impairment to protect their personal self-esteem. On the basis of these findings, this study suggests that teachers and administrators of schools for the hearing impaired should seek to understand the needs and challenges of their students, which could be affecting their academic performance and adopt strategies to address them.

Family centered early childhood development: a case of Rongo Subcounty, Migori Kenya

The early childhood period from conception to three years is critical in a child’s health, well-being and brain development. Proper care and stimulation therefore, contributes to a child’s productivity that lasts through childhood to adulthood. It is estimated that globally, 43% of children under five years are at risk of failing to achieve their developmental potential. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), this portion is approximately 66%. The Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) 2022 revealed that 21% of children in Kenya aged 24-59 months are not developmentally on track. A higher percentage of children in urban (87%) than rural (73%) areas are developmentally on track. The percentage of children developmentally on track increases with increasing mothers’ education from 51% among children whose mothers have no education to 91% among those whose mothers have more than secondary education. The percentage of children developmentally on track also increases with increasing household wealth from 61% among children in the lowest wealth quantile to 93% among those in the highest quantile. This therefore calls for parenting/caregiving programmes that targets parents/caregivers from the lowest household wealth index as well as those with mothers having lowest education levels. Lwala Community Alliance with funding from Comic Relief piloted a Family Centered earlcy childhood development (ECD) program in North Kamagambo ward, Rongo Subcounty, Migori County Kenya in 2021. The long-term goal of the program was to ensure that children under the age of five years reach their developmental potential in a nurturing care environment supported by responsive and sensitive men and women caregivers. The community health volunteers (CHW) through household visitation, group parenting sessions, and facility-based education sessions implemented the program. This was meant to improve outcomes across child health, caregiver support, health worker capacity, and the enabling environment. Building on the success of the pilot, an evaluation and baseline study was conducted to explore the outcome of the pilot intervention and to upscale the program into three new wards in Rongo Subcounty. In order to accomplish this, baseline data was collected in three areas (East Kamagambo, Central Kamagambo and South Kamagambo) where scaling up of the program will happen before commencement of intervention activities. Findings revealed that the primary caregiver plays a critical role in caring for young children during the day by providing care for children’s basic needs. It was noted that households in North Kamagambo introduced complementary foods after the recommended six months as compared to the other three wards where other foods were introduced to babies before six months are over. Findings further revealed that there was a significant increase in knowledge especially on child rights and abuse from baseline, midline and end line in North Kamagambo with 86%, 90% and 91%, respectively. Caregivers’ ability to identify signs of a child who has been abused seemed good across the four locations. Caregivers in North Kamagambo provided higher levels of nurturing care to their children compared to caregivers in other wards

Training and experience outperform literacy and formal education as predictors of community health worker knowledge and performance, results from Rongo sub-county, Kenya.

There is a growing recognition that Community Health Workers are effective at improving health outcomes and expanding health access. However, the design elements that lead to high-quality Community Health Worker programing are relatively understudied. We looked at the predictors of Community Health Worker knowledge of obstetric and early infant danger signs as well as performance in achieving antenatal care and immunization uptake among their clients. The study takes place in the context of an intervention implemented jointly by Lwala Community Alliance and the Kenya Ministry of Health which sought to professionalize Community Health Worker cadres through enhanced training, payment, and supervision. There were four cohorts included in the study. Two cohorts started receiving the intervention prior to the baseline, one cohort received the intervention between the baseline and endline, and a final cohort did not receive the intervention. Data on Community Health Worker demographics, knowledge tests, and key performance indicators were collected for 234 Community Health Workers. Regression analyses were used to explore education, literacy, experience, training, and gender as potential predictors of CHW performance. We found that clients of Community Health Workers trained through the intervention were 15% more likely to be fully immunized and 14% more likely to have completed four or more antenatal care visits. Additionally, recency of training and experience caring for pregnant women were associated with increased Community Health Worker knowledge. Finally, we found no association between gender and CHW competency and tenuous associations between education/literacy and Community Health Worker competency. We conclude that the intervention was predictive of increased Community Health Worker performance and that recency of training and experience were predictive of increased knowledge. Though education and literacy are often used in the selection processes of Community Health Workers globally, the link between these characteristics and Community Health Worker knowledge and performance are mixed. Thus, we encourage further research into the predictive value of common Community Health Worker screening and selection tools. Further, we encourage policymakers and practitioners to reconsider the use of education and literacy as means of Community Health Worker selection.

INFLUENCE OF THE ATTITUDE OF TEACHERS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED LEARNERS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF RONGO SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

<p>Visual impairment has a negative impact on the learner’s ability to learn. In Kenya learners with visual impairment experience problems interacting with the learning environment just like other learners with other forms of impairment. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of the Attitude of Teachers on Academic Performance of Visually Impaired Learners in Primary Schools of Rongo Sub-County, Migori County, Kenya. The study was based on Bandura’s (1968) Social Cognitive Theory of learning which outlines the process of learning as a result of the surrounding environment. The study employed a descriptive survey design. The study population included 29 headteachers of public primary schools with the integrated program, 40 Special Needs Education (SNE) Teachers and 5 Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs) giving a total of 74 respondents. Purposive and Saturated sampling techniques were used to get a sample size of 29 headteachers, 40SNEteachers and 5 CSOs. Reliability of research instruments was done through piloting on 4 SNE teachers, 3 headteachers and 1 CSO in UririSub-County. Using the test-retest technique, a reliability index of 0.79 and 0.81 was attained for teachers’ and headteachers’ questionnaires respectively. The reliability test for the interview schedule was carried out by parallel-form reliability. The content validity of instruments was established by presenting the instruments to an expert for confirmation. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequencies, percentages and means and Inferential statistics of Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Chi-square. Qualitative data was analyzed based on emerging themes generated from the study objective. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Frequency and percentage tables were used to present collected data. The study established that there was a significant relationship between teachers’ attitude and teaching learning materials and academic performance at p <0.05. Therefore the null hypothesis was rejected and it was concluded that teachers’ attitude affect academic performance in Integrated Primary Schools in Rongo Sub-County. From the study it was recommended that teachers handling visually impaired learners should work on their attitude to improve the performance of visually impaired learners; teaching and learning materials that are relevant and appropriate should be made available to visually impaired learners in order to aid their academic performance. Research findings will assist in identifying appropriate teaching methods, teacher training, and a conducive working environment to boost teacher morale and adequate teaching and learning resources.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0025/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Social Cognitive Skills and Delinquent Behavior Modification among Students in Secondary Schools in Kenya

The study investigated the relationship between social cognitive skills and delinquent behavior modification among students in secondary schools in Kenya. The Correlational Research design within the Positivist paradigm was adopted. The accessible population comprised of 3,740 students who had undergone counselling in 26 secondary schools in Rongo sub-county of Kenya. A sample size of 374 counselled students was obtained using both stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The Brief Self-Control Scale, Behavioral Inhibition Scale, Vicarious Experience Scale, Challenging Behaviour Attributions Scale and Behavior Modification Scale were used to collect data. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to investigate the internal consistency of the questionnaires all the sub-scales had internal consistency of 0.701 and 0.759. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and regression analysis were used to analyze data. The model was statistically significant [F (4, 339) =16.928, Adjusted R2=.157, sig. <.05], implying it was adequate enough to predict the dependent variable. However, this finding indicates that only 15.7% of the variability in behaviour modification among the secondary school students is explained by social cognitive skills. The school counsellors should use person centered counselling techniques to enhance social cognitive skills among students.

Stakeholders’ Perception of Policy Articulations Influence on student Dropout in Secondary Schools in Rongo Sub-County Kenya

Secondary School dropout is a critical issue in today’s world. Students who drop out of secondary schools face a lot of challenges. In Rongo Sub-County, Kenya, in the year 2016, 7,946 boys and 5,344 girls were enrolled in schools against sub-county census of 21,603 boys and 22,017 girls. This study investigated policy articulation influence on student dropout in secondary schools. The objective established influence of government’s policy articulation on dropout in the sub-county. The study used concurrent triangulation design. The target population was 24 public secondary schools, 183 teachers and 8083 students. The sample were 12 public schools, 12 principals (11 responded), 126 teachers (100 responded) and 420 students (382 responded). Sampling exploited purposive sampling and stratified sampling method. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The data collected was summarized and analysed quantitatively. The study established that students do drop out from the Kenyan secondary schools. Factors influencing dropout was failure to articulate government policies that could counter dropout. Therefore, the government and stakeholders should put measures in place to articulate policies so that students understand their rights to and be in school.

Predictors of under-five healthcare utilization in Rongo sub-county of Migori County, Kenya: results of a population-based cross-sectional survey.

Introductionto achieve the sustainable development goal for child survival, we must better understand the socioeconomic characteristics, household behaviors and access to community health services which predict care utilization for children. This study assessed predictors of health care utilization for children under five in Migori County, Kenya.Methodswe used multivariable logistic regression in the context of an integrated health intervention which employed paid, trained, and supervised community health workers (CHWs), inclusive of traditional birth attendants (TBAs). The intervention was delivered with Ministry of Health in one of five geographies included in the study.Resultscommunity health workers (CHW) home visits were associated with a two-fold increase in care seeking for children with respiratory symptoms. Following implementation of a CHW-led malaria intervention, the use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests increased, while fever prevalence decreased. Households in the intervention area were three times more likely to seek care for their child´s fever. Increased care utilization for children with fever was positively associated with male partner attendance at antenatal care visits and negatively associated with skilled delivery and recognition of warning signs. Care utilization for respiratory symptoms was positively associated with caregiver education and negatively associated with household size. Care utilization for diarrhea was positively associated with having a recent under-five death in the household.Conclusionthe study suggests that trained and motivated CHWs may be an effective tool for improving care utilization for children. Further, the study builds on evidence of male partner involvement and caregiver education as predictors of child care utilization.

Factors that influence healthcare service utilization during COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women and caregivers with children under two years in Rongo sub-county, Migori County, Kenya

Background: Health systems have failed in past epidemics to maintain delivery of routine health essential services. Most resources including human and essential supplies are all diverted to address health emergency, sometimes resulting in lack of important basic and routine health services.Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study with mixed data collection methods, where respondents were asked questions on how COVID-19 affected them with regard to utilization of MCH healthcare during the first peak of the COVID-19 in Kenya. Two high volume facilities were selected purposively based on volume and capacity of services offered. A random sample was drawn from the stratum using a list generated by community health workers (CHWs) attached to the health facilities. Key informant interviews were used to collect data among health care providers and structured questionnaire was used for pregnant women and caregivers. Independent variables, social distancing, social stigma, communication and human mobility restriction were associated with health care service utilization and significant at 0.05 p value.Results: Correlation analysis indicated social stigma (r-0.407, p<0.512), social distancing (r-0.324, p<0.001) and human mobility restrictions (r-0.606, p<0.001) negatively influenced service utilization. Whereas COVID-19 related communication (0.631, p<0.001) was protective and thus promoted service utilization. The hierarchical linear regression model explained 67.73% of the total variations in the health care service utilization, which was r=0.6773.Conclusions: From the findings social stigma, communication, social distancing and human mobility restrictions influence health care service utilization. Ministry of health should strengthen targeted community outreaches for pregnant women and caregivers with children under two years.

Exploring Livelihood Strategies Pursued by Households in Rongo Sub-County, Migori County, Kenya

Exploring Livelihood Strategies Pursued by Households in Rongo Sub-County, Migori County, Kenya

Factors Influencing Academic Performance of Learners with Visual Impairment Integrated in Public Primary Schools in Rongo Sub-County, Migori County, Kenya

Visual impairment impacts an individual’s ability to successfully complete the activities of everyday life. This study investigated factors influencing academic performance of learners with visual impairment integrated in Public Primary schools in Rongo Sub-County, Migori County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were: to investigate the impact of instructional methods on academic performance of learners with visual impairment; to establish the effect of teacher training on academic performance of learners with visual impairment; to find out the effect of teachers’ attitude on academic performance of learners with visual impairment and to determine the influence of teaching learning materials on academic performance of learners with visual impairment in Rongo Sub-County. The study employed mixed method approach. The target population included 29 head teachers of public primary schools with integrated program, 40 Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers and 5 Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs) giving a total of 74 respondents. Purposive and Saturated sampling techniques were used to get a sample size of 29 Head teachers, 40 SNE teachers and 5 CSOs respectively. Questionnaires and interview schedule were used to collect data. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequencies, percentages and means and Inferential of Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Chi square. Qualitative data was analyzed based on emerging themes generated from the study objectives. The study established that there was significant relationship between instructional methods, teacher training, teachers’ attitude and teaching learning materials and academic performance all at p <0.05.

The Prevalence of Interpersonal Violence (IPV) Against Women and its Associated Variables: An Exploratory Study in the Rongo Sub-County of Migori County, Kenya.

Interpersonal violence (IPV) within intimate partner relationships and gender-based violence remain major public health problems worldwide; 44.8% of Kenyan women have reported experiencing IPV beginning after the age of 15 years (National Bureau of Statistics Nairobi, Kenya, 2015). Combatting IPV and its sequelae is integral to promoting gender equality, a key target of the Sustainable Development Goals. We quantify the lifetime prevalence of IPV among women in two rural Kenyan communities, as well as factors associated with IPV in this area, such as educational attainment and severe depression. We conducted a cross-sectional population-based survey of households in the North and East Kamagambo wards of Migori County, Kenya in May 2018. A questionnaire regarding IPV was given to female respondents. Group-wise comparisons and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to describe community prevalence and factors associated with IPV against women. A total of 873 women completed questions about IPV, representing a population estimate of 11,252 women in the study area. Lifetime IPV prevalence in the study area was 60.3%. Variables associated with IPV included involvement in a polygamous marriage (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.13, 2.88]; p = .013), attaining six or fewer years of education (aOR: 1.84; 95% CI: [1.27, 2.66]; p = .001), and IPV exposure in girlhood (aOR: 1.59; 95% CI: [1.12, 2.28]; p = .011). IPV was independently associated with experience of emotional abuse (OR: 11.22; 95% CI: [7.02, 17.95]; p < .001) and severe depression (OR: 3.51; 95% CI: [1.03, 11.97]; p = .045). Violence against women is a public health emergency in Migori County, Kenya. Low educational attainment, IPV exposure in girlhood, and polygamy were significantly associated with experience of IPV. Our results provide hyper-local data necessary for targeted interventions and generalizable data with sampling methods for use by other implementing organizations in sub-Saharan Africa.

Convenient or Nuisance? The Paradox of Motorbike Taxis in Rural Kenya. The Case of Rongo Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract This study sought to assess rural people‘s level of satisfaction with motorcycle taxi transport services, taking Rongo Sub-County, Kenya as a typical case. This awareness is crucial to transport planning, particularly in the pursuit of an equitable mobility system in rural Kenya, Africa and beyond. The main data collection tool was a semi-structured questionnaire which was complemented by a key informant interview schedule, focus group discussions guide and an observation checklist. The study found that while the satisfaction of the respondents ranged from neutral to satisfied there was a strong difference between groups. Most of the respondents were satisfied with the MT services, largely due to the physical attributes of the MT. Negative reasons were mainly related to MT riders‘ mannerism, unprofessional driving, and poor safety. Nonetheless, almost all respondents recognised the importance of motorcycle taxi transport in realising their needs of accessing locations and activities within and outside Rongo Sub-County. This paper strongly recommends that rural transport needs and options should be understood from the point of view of rural people (differentiated by age, gender, occupation and income) in order to provide better rural transport services that meet different needs.

Choice Shifts in School Disciplinary Decision Making: Analysis of Age Differences of Panel Members

Background:Decision making is critical to each organization and it requires the ability to find a possible balance between risky and cautious decisions. The Kenyan secondary schools are mandated by the Ministry of Education to manage students’ misbehaviors by the disciplinary panels.Aim:The present study investigated the choice shifts in disciplinary decision making in Kenyan secondary schools based on age groups of the panel members.Methods:The Quasi-Experimental Pretest-Posttest Design was adopted. The study targeted 360 teachers- members of disciplinary panels in 45 secondary schools in the Rongo sub-county of Kenya. A sample size of 78 members of disciplinary panels in 10 secondary schools was involved. This was 22% of the target population of members of disciplinary panels in the Rongo district. The choice shift in decisions was ascertained using the Modified Choice Dilemma Questionnaire. The validity of the tools was ensured by the expert judgment by two Kenyan psychologists, while the reliability was determined using the internal consistency method and an alpha of 0.695 was reported.Results:The results of the Multivariate Analysis Of Variance indicated that there were differences in choice shifts from the pre to post-disciplinary hearing decisions among the members of selected school disciplinary panels on the basis of their age groups (Wilk’s Lambda (λ) test:F(12, 188) = 7.40,P =0.000,P&lt; 0.05).Conclusion:It was concluded that the age of the members of disciplinary panels influenced the nature of choice shifts in decisions. It was recommended that principals should ensure that the membership of school disciplinary panels is broad-based.

Knowledge of Obstetric and Neonatal Danger Signs among Community Health Workers in the Rongo Sub-County of Migori County, Kenya: Results of a Community-based Cross-Sectional Survey.

In efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, it is recommended that all pregnant women be counseled on signs of pregnancy related complications and neonatal illness. In resource limited settings, such counselling may be task-shifted to lay health workers. We conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey of community health workers/volunteers in North and East Kamagambo of the Rongo Sub- County of Migori County, Kenya, between January-April 2018. A survey tool was administered through face-to-face interviews to investigate the level of knowledge of obstetric and neonatal danger signs among community health workers in North Kamagambo after one year of participation in the Lwala program, as well as to evaluate baseline knowledge of community health volunteers in East Kamagambo at the beginning of Lwala's expansion and prior to their receiving training from Lwala. The North Kamagambo group identified more danger signs in each category. The percentage of participants with adequate knowledge in the pregnancy, postpartum, and neonatal categories was significantly higher in North Kamagambo than in East Kamagambo. Sixty percent of participants in North Kamagambo knew 3 or more danger signs in 3 or more categories, compared to 24% of participants in East Kamagambo. Location in North Kamagambo (OR 2.526, p=0.03) and a shorter time since most recent training (OR 2.291, p=0.025) were associated with increased knowledge. Our study revealed varying levels of knowledge among two populations of lay health workers. This study highlights the benefit of frequent trainings and placing greater emphasis on identified gaps in knowledge of the labor and postpartum periods.

Under-five mortality in the Rongo Sub-County of Migori County, Kenya: Experience of the Lwala Community Alliance

Under-five mortality in the Rongo Sub-County of Migori County, Kenya: Experience of the Lwala Community Alliance

Under-five mortality in the Rongo Sub-County of Migori County, Kenya: Experience of the Lwala Community Alliance

Background The Sustainable Development Goals created an absolute goal of ending preventable child deaths and reducing overall under-five mortality (U5M) to less than 25 per 1,000 live births by 2030(1). Between 1990 and 2015, Kenya saw a decrease in U5M of nearly 50% to 51 per 1,000 livebirths(2). However, regional variability is striking with county-level rates ranging from 20 to well over 100 per 1,000 livebirths(2,3). The Lwala Community Alliance (LCA) is a community-led organization in rural western Kenya in the former Nyanza province. Nyanza has the highest U5M of all regions in Kenya at 82 per 1,000 livebirths(3). Founded in 2007, LCA operates …

Influennce of the Roles of the Csos, Headteachers and Deputy Headteachers in Supervision of Curriculum Implementation in Class Four in Public Primary Schools in Rongo Sub-County Kenya

Supervision of teaching and learning in public primary schools in one of the most important functions of the Ministry of Education in Kenya. The ministry appoints the Quality Assurance and Standards Officers to monitor the quality of Education in schools. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) also appoints the Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs) to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in schools. The main work of those two from the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission is to supervise the actual teaching and learning in Public Primary School. However, in recent years instructional supervision seems not to have been given a great deal of attention because the academic performance in schools and especially in class four which is a transition class from lower primary to upper primary has been very low in Rongo Sub-county. Few research studies have been carried out or conducted towards the dismal or poor performance of class four in Public Primary Schools in Rongo Sub-county. This study was uncured on General System theory by Von Bettalafy 1956. The study was guided by one objective that states: The influence of the roles of the supervisors in supervision of curriculum implementation in class four in public primary schools in Rongo Sub-county. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of the supervisors’ roles in the supervision of curriculum implementation in class four in public primary schools in Rongo Sub-County. The larger population was 603 whereby 74 were headteachers, 80 deputy headteachers, 444 class four teachers and 5 C.S.O. A sample size of 72 head teachers, 78 deputy headteachers, 133 class four teachers and 5 CSO (Curriculum Support Officers). Saturation sampling was used on head teachers, deputy head teacher and CSO, while random sampling was used on class four teachers because the number was more. Data was collected by the use of questionnaires for deputy head teachers and class four teacher and in-depth interview scheduled was used to collect data from CSO and head teachers. The data collected was analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics and according to themes. From the study it emerged that the roles of the supervisors in the supervision of curriculum implementation has a great influence in the implementation of curriculum. It was also established that the supervisors does not give attentions to class four being especial class of transition from lower Primary to upper primary. They rarely supervise the teachers handling class four and they even do not check the pupil’s books. The CSO major in the lower classes for the programme of TUSOME and EGMA which are new methods of teaching reading and new mathematics. The study therefore recommended that the supervisors give attention to class four being that it’s a class where there is change on medium of instruction from the language of the catchment to English and Kiswahili.

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PLANETSCOPE AND SENTINEL SENTINEL-2 SPACE-BORNE SENSORS IN MAPPING STRIGA WEED USING GUIDED REGULARISED RANDOM FOREST CLASSIFICATION ENSEMBLE

Abstract. Weeds are one of the major restrictions to sustaining crop productivity. Weeds often outcompete crops for nutrients, soil moisture, solar radiation, space and provide platforms for breeding of pests and diseases. The ever-growing global food insecurity triggers the need for spatially explicit innovative geospatial technologies that can deliver timely detection of weeds within agro-ecological systems. This will help pinpoint maize fields to be prioritized for weed control. Satellite remote sensing offers incomparable opportunities for precision agriculture, ecological applications and vegetation characterisation, with vast socioeconomic benefits. This work compares and evaluates the strength of Sentinel-2 (S2) satellite with the constellation of Dove nanosatellites i.e. PlanetScope (PS) data in detecting and mapping Striga (Striga hermonthica) weed within intercropped maize fields in Rongo sub-county in western Kenya. We applied the S2 and PS derived spectral data and vegetation indices in mapping the Striga occurrence. Data analysis was implemented, using the Guided Regularised Random Forest (GRRF) classifier. Comparatively, Sentinel-2 demonstrated slightly lower Striga detection capacity than PlanetScope, with an overall accuracy of 88% and 92%, respectively. The results further showed that the VNIR (Blue, Green Red and NIR) and the Atmospheric resistance Vegetation Index (ARVI) were the most fundamental variables in detecting and mapping Striga presence in maize fields. Findings from this work demonstrate that Sentinel-2 data has the capability to provide spatial explicit near real-time field level Striga detection – a previously daunting task with broadband multispectral sensors.

The Relationship between Level of Students’ Participation in Games Programs and Academic Achievement in Rongo Sub-County Secondary Schools

The purpose of the study was to establish the relationship between the level of students’ participation in games programs and academic achievement in secondary schools in Rongo Sub-County. The study adopted descriptive survey and correlation designs. The sample size was as follows: 350 form four students participating in games, 175 boys and 175 girls which were 33% of the target population. Pearson Product moment Correlation was used to investigate relationship between students’ participation level and academic achievement. The Bonferroni Post Hoc Multiple Comparison Test is an analysis method that was used to establish multiple levels of participation to prove relationship with academic achievement. The study found out that there is a minimal positive relationship between students’ level of participation in games programs and academic achievement in secondary schools in Rongo Sub County. (t (350) r=0.260, p=0.453).

The Relationship Between Level of Students’ Participation in Games Programs and Academic Achievement in Rongo Sub-County Secondary Schools

The Relationship Between Level of Students’ Participation in Games Programs and Academic Achievement in Rongo Sub-County Secondary Schools