ABSTRACT:
This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of teaching aids on the performance of pupils in Mathematics in primary schools in Kitgum District. The case of selected primary schools in Mucwini Sub County. A qualitative research technique was selected to this study using a variety of research instruments. The subject in the study included the D.E.O, 3 head teachers, 32 teachers, 196 pupils, 80 parents and 24 School Management Committee who were randomly selected. The instruments that were used in the study included self constructed questionnaire and interview guides. The data obtained from the study was analyzed qualitatively. Frequency tables and percentages were used to present and analyze the data. Data obtained from the interview were equally analyzed. The researcher made summary of the major findings of the study arising from the research questions as presented below: • There is inadequacy of instmctional materials provision at Lagotcugu CC Mucwini Sub County. • Training of teachers has a great impact in the teaching leaming process. Thus enhances pupils' academic perfonnance. • Teachers' laxity and lack of commitments in teaching and incompetence in using instmctionalmaterials cause pupils not to receive proper teaching and can not read, interpret and write Mathematical statements in ·.'lords f01m correctly. Such pupils lose interest in Education and perform poorly. IX • Many parents have negative attitude towards Education such that they cannot raise or do not want to pay additional money levied for uniforms, exercise books and mid- day meals among other things. • Children's rights have given too much freedom to pupils which have affected their level of discipline. • Lack of individual pupil's attention. There is less individual attention by teachers due to the big U.P.E numbers. • That there is no group discussion formed in most schools to aid leaming and discovery processes. • That the availability of teaching leaming aids is very imp011ant in the teachingleaming process to promote meaningfulleaming and effective communication. Arising from the discussions and summery of the findings of this research projects, the researcher arrived at the following conclusion. Teaching aids has great effect in enhancing pupils' academic performance in Mucwini Sub County. It fu11her revealed that trained teachers are adequate on the ground. • Group discussion has impact on leamers' academic perf01mance and aid in memory recalls and systematic reasoning of the pupils yet lacking in the schools visited. • That there is inadequacy in provision of printed materials in most schools. This inadequacy has very much affected teaching because teachers can not guide pupils practically hence, all the teaching is theoretical. • Lack of mid-day meals. Schools do not provide lunch tO p~pils yet it's one of the real objects that stimulate leaming. X • Parents do not provide enough scholastic materials to their children. For example the data revealed that most of the pupils lack school uniforms and Mathematical sets. • Lack of individual pupil attention. Most of the respondents visited said that there is less individual pupil attention by teachers due to the big U.P.E numbers. • There are very many curriculums in operation in schools. This is misleading most teachers. • A teacher work load expands beyond the normal class time to the tedious process of preparing lessons plans, looking for teaching aids, monitoring individual process ofleamers and other activities that come with the job. • The New vision Newspaper between January and March 2001, of the 150 candidates interviewed, only 2 (1.3%) wanted to become teachers, the reason given to avoiding teaching profession generally points to the unattractiveness of the teaching profession. Yet these stars attribute their success to teachers. The researcher arrived at the following recommendations arising from the findings of this study, • The pupils should fmm discussion groups in order to get or share knowledge among themselves so as to perfmm well in exercises and overall grade pass. • Revising the cuJTent teaching syllabuses which appear to be too academic to incorporate skills that are commensurate with the cun·ent trends of development • Ministry of Education and sports should provide schools with the necessary materials e.g. teachers' reference books, pupils' text books and other print materials