Fishing activities and the level of students’ engagement in school activities in Busia district, eastern Uganda.

Abstract

This study investigated the engagement in fishing activities, engagement in school activities, and the relationship between fishing activities and students’ engagement in school activities in Busia District. The objectives of the study were to establish the level of students’ engagement in fishing activities, to examine the level of students' engagement in school activities, and to establish the relationship between fishing activities and students’ engagement in school activities. This study was based on conflict theory advanced by Karl Marx because a school is a social institution with many conflicts between students, teachers, and administration. The study targeted students and teachers. Simple random sampling was used to select students and purposive sampling for teachers in the eight schools both public and private. The total sample size was 270 respondents who generated information through the use of questionnaires. Primary data was collected and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods respectively and presented in tables in frequency and percentages. The validity was 0.9 and the reliability was 0.104. Data were further analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS). The level of students' engagement in fishing activities was moderate (M = 15.506, SD = 4.655). The major fishing activities that students engaged in included fishing using hooks, nets, and poisoning, (84.2%); preserving fish by salting, smoking, and sun drying, (74.2%); making boats and canoes, (70%). The level of students’ engagement in school activities was moderate (M=14.229, SD =1.678). The relationship between students’ engagement in fishing activities and the level of students’ engagement in school activities was not statistically significant (r = -. 018, p = .816). The study recommended that the school management, teachers, and parents should join hands to carry out sensitization on the importance of education, Strict measures should be put in place to fight students' engagement in fishing activities during school activities or time, and Counseling and mentorship should also be used as a tool to guide learners, and motivate them to keep in school and achieve their dreams in educational.