An Empirical Analysis of the Determinants of Poor Academic Performance

The study empirically examines the causes of poor academic performance of the students in the native area, Ward 6, enrolled at Gokomere High School, Matova Secondary School, St Stanslous Secondary School and Chidzikwe Secondary School using Ordinary Least Squares approach for a sample of 200 native students. The study seeks to address the achievement of one of the Millenium Development Goals by effectively addressing the hindering factors underpinning the native children's academic performance. Human development is an instrument of economic growth and hence has to be promoted. The determinants of academic performance have been found to include the walking distance to school, sex of child, education status of parent/guardian, nutrition levels, late entrance and repetition at school and language spoken at home. The study failed to prove that late entrance and repetition at school indicate poor academic performance