The Relationship between Educational Aspirations and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Performance in Mombasa County, Kenya

Abstract

Educational aspirations are ideas and hopes of what a person would like to become or achieve. It is a determinant of an individual's performance level in the future and it reflects educational goals an individual set for himself (Fraser & Garg,2011). Educational aspiration is an important variable in predicting academic achievement and may be seen as an element in academic achievement motivation focussing on achievement in education endeavours (Kaur,2012). Studies have found educational aspirations to be one of the most significant predictors of education and career attainment for young people (Garg, Melanson & Levin, 2007). More specifically, there is empirical evidence that indicates that the level of education aspiration is predictive of persistence in schooling (Bui, 2007). However, findings on the association between educational aspirations and academic achievement remain inconclusive.