Abstract:
The major purpose of the study was to investigate whether students' self-esteem can be influenced by the conditions prevailing in Kenyan secondary schools. To achieve this objective the conditions in the school environment and students' self-esteem were measured and the data obtained was analyzed. The four school environment factors considered in the study were teachers' classroom management style, principals' school management style, learning facilities and co-curricular facilities available in a school. The aim was to find out whether the selected factors had any influence on students' self esteem. The research was conducted using ex post facto research design. The school environment was seen as a naturally occurring independent variable, which could have an effect on students' self esteem. The population of the study comprised of students in public secondary schools in Ol-Joro Orok Division, Nyandarua District. The Division has 8 public secondary schools; with a student population of 3067.Data relevant to the study was collected using questionnaires prepared by the researcher. The questionnaires were administered to a sample of 240 students selected randomly from the 1320 form two students in the Division. The data was analysed using mean calculations and one-way ANOVA tests. It was found out that a school environment has a significant influence on students' self esteem, either raising or lowering it. Students in schools with teachers and principals who were more democratic in handling students' affairs were found to have a higher self-esteem compared to those in schools with teachers and principals rated as less democratic. Similarly, students in schools with more and better quality learning and co- curricular facilities had a higher self esteem as compared to their counterparts in schools with lesser and low quality facilities. It was therefore recommended that the school environment should be improved in all school categories. Teachers and principals should be sensitized on the role of self-esteem on behaviour and academic perfomance. Learning and co-curricular facilities should be supplied to all public secondary schools in Kenya. Finally, this study suggests that further studies should be conducted to find out whether similar results would be obtained in other Distribts in Kenya, and to find out whether peers, parents and school catering facilities have any significant effect on students' self esteem.
