| dc.description.abstract | The study endeavoured to establish the factors that influence pupils' dropout in public primary schools in Asego Division, Homabay District. It sought to determine the influence of socio-economic, socio-cultural background of the parents on the dropout of pupils in public primary schools in Asego Division. Secondly, the study investigated the extent to which school related factors and pupils' personalities contribute to dropout rates in Asego Division. Thirdly, the study also examined the factors that cause dropout of boys and girls in public primary schools in Asego Division. Finally, the study aimed at identifying strategies that can be employed in curbing the dropout in the division.
The justification of the study was based on the evidence of dropouts from public primary schools in the division where those pupils who enrol in standard one reduce in numbers as they progress towards the completion of the pnmary education cycle.
The literature review fell under various sub-topics which include socio-economic factors, socio-cultural factors, echool-related factors, repetition, age and gender inequalities.
The research design used was ex-post-facto. Ex-post-facto design was selected since it is difficult to control some independent variables considered in the study due to the fact that their manifestation had already occurred.
The sample population of this study consisted of 40 head teachers, 80 class teachers and 250 pupils. However, 35 headteachers, 75 class headteachers and 240 pupils responded and returned completed questionnaire. This represents 92.1 % return rate.
Three sets of questionnaire and one set of scheduled interview were used as research instruments. In order to validate the instruments, two steps were applied:
First, a supervisor; a specialist in educational administration and planning approved the instruments as valid and secondly, the result of the pilot were conducted in five randomly selected schools. After validating the instruments, it was found to be 0.85 by using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and 0.8984 Spearman Brown Proficiency formula. Data was analysed using a two-tailed t-test at 0.05 level of significance. To analyse the open-ended items, frequencies and percentages were used.
The following were major findings of the study:
•Dropout rates for boys are higher than that for girls and most of the dropouts are older than their colleagues.
• The major factors causing ~rls to dropout in the division were pregnancies 33( 24%), early marriages 28(20.0%), lack of interest 27(19.4%), poverty 19(13%), family problems 16(11.2%), repetition 6(4.3%), truancy' 4(3.0%), lack of physical facilities in schools 3(2.5%), peer influence 3(2.3%),while the following factors cause boys to dropout from schools truancy 20(20.0%), poverty 19(19.0%) earn money to support themselves 19 (19.0%), conflicts with teachers and repetition 15(15.0%), ~peer influence 11 (11.0%), family problems 11(11.0%), drug abuse 2(2.0%), lack of interest 2(2.0%), early
xv marnages 2(2.0%),H.I.V/AIDS(orphans) 1(1.0%), and poor academic performance and health problems 1 (1.0%).
•Guidance and counselling emerged as the most effective means of curbing the dropout problems as indicated by the teachers and pupils' responses.
Teachers also suggested that the government should support the provision of free and compulsory primary education anJ secondary education, provide learning materials and facilities, train guidance and counselling teachers, teachers also support good and healthy relationship between teachers and pupils, teachers to offer good quality education and parents to monitor students' academic progress, provide basic necessity and have positive attitudes towards education, the community also to support and provide resources in schools.
The following were the major recommendations made:
1.The government should embark on sensitisation, sernmars, programmes, courses on HIV / AIDS scourge among teachers, pupils, parents and the community as a way of curbing its spread.
2.Measures of alleviating PEverty from grassroot level should be used to empower people economically.
3.The government should employ more teachers so as to cope' with challenges of implementing free and compulsory primary education.
4.Parents who do not take their children to school or withdraw them for other activities should be sued in the court of law.
The following "Teas were suggested for further studies:
1.An evaluation study be done to determine the impact of free and compulsory education on dropout, completion and retention rates.
2.A similar study covering a wider sample of primary school in the country be carried out.
3.A study of activities that boys and girls are engaged in after dropping out of school be carried out with both boys and girls dropout as a sample in the division | en |
