Relationship between Teacher Identified Regulation, Teacher Introjected regulation, Teacher External Regulation and Student Academic performance in Kenya: A study across Secondary Schools in Gem Sub County

Abstract : Studies on teacher motivation in Pakistan and Zambia indicate low teacher motivation resulting to low student academic performance. In Kenya, low teacher motivation was found in Masaba South Sub-County, Ugenya Sub-County and Gem Sub-County which also resulted to low student academic performance. A preliminary survey conducted in five poorly performed schools in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination in Gem Sub-County revealed that between 2011-2013 absenteeism was reported in 4 (80%) schools, lack of co-operation from teachers 3(60%) schools, lateness 4 (80%) schools, missing classes 5 (100%) schools and resignation from teaching 1(20%) school. Gem Sub-County also experienced low student academic performance between 2011 – 2013 with a mean of 5.231, lower than Ugenya, Siaya, and Ugunja Sub-Counties with a mean of 6.023, 5.904 and 5.350 respectively for the same period in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination. The Objectives of the study were to establish the relationship between teacher identified regulation, teacher introjected regulation, teacher external regulation and student academic performance. The study revealed that Teacher identified regulation had a weak, positive but not significant relationship with student academic performance (r =.177; N=110; p>.05) while teacher introjected regulation and external regulation were found to have weak, negative but not significant relationship with student academic performance (r =-.086; N=110; p=>.05) and (r =-.146; N=110; p >.05) respectively. The study concluded that teacher identified regulation, teacher introjected regulation, teacher external regulation and student academic performance did not have significant relationship with student academic performance. This means that the three variables were not a source of motivation for students academic performance, despite the fact that they are expected to motivate learners in academic performance. The findings of this study would inform the stakeholders in education in coming up with strategist to enhance teacher motivation so as to improve student academic performance.