Relationship between availability of laboratory materials and students’ academic performance in chemistry in Kilifi North Constituency, Kenya

Even though chemistry is the foundation and gatekeeper of other science courses, high school students across continue to score poorly in the subject overall. The purpose of the study was to determine how the performance of learners in chemistry was related to the availability of chemistry lab materials. Kilifi North Constituency was the site of the study. Six mixed schools were chosen using simple random sampling, one school for girls and boys were chosen using purposive method. Eighty students were chosen using simple random selection and stratified random sampling. Eight chemistry teachers were sampled using basic random sampling and purposeful sampling. The Chemistry Teacher Questionnaire (CTQ), Student Questionnaire (SQ), Observation Checklist (OC), and document and mark sheet analysis were used to gather data. Ten students and two teachers participated in the pilot project which was conducted at two schools in the Kilifi North Constituency. Data analysis was made simplified with the use of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study variables were presented using descriptive statistics such as frequency tables, mean, and percentages. Hypotheses at .05. were tested using inferential statistics (Spearman's Rank order correlation and Pearson product moment of correlation coefficient). The study revealed that 75% of schools had laboratories, with a significant correlation (r = 0.819, p = 0.013) between the availability of laboratory materials and students' academic performance in chemistry practical’s, accounting for 67.08% of the variability in scores. Additionally, the majority of chemistry apparatus and chemicals were deemed sufficiently available, indicating overall adequacy in laboratory resources for effective teaching and learning. The study recommended that Schools should improve laboratory facilities by assuring the availability of necessary equipment and chemicals, as well as offering teacher training, in order to maximize resource efficiency and increase student chemistry performance.