The impact of the bursary scheme on participation rates at the secondary school level in Migori district
Abstract
The study adopted a descriptive method using survey design. The purpose of the study
was to investigate how the Bursary Scheme has impacted on Student Participation in
Secondary Education in Migori District.
The target population included secondary school students, Head teachers of Secondary
Schools, Ministry of Education Officials, and Constituency Bursary Committee
Members.
Purposive sampling technique was used to select the District Education Officer as the
district has only one District Education Officer to represent the entire population.
Stratified sampling technique was used to select five categories of schools in form of
boys, girls and mixed schools. From these categories, two boys' schools, two girls'
schools and one mixed school were selected by simple random sampling. To get the
required number of students (200), 40 from 5 schools, the researcher applied systematic
sampling method. This number was selected out of the approximated 2000 needy
students which represent 10% as proposed by Mugenda and Mugenda (1999). They
quoting from Gay (1983) recommend 10% of cases in descriptive studies.
Two bursary committee members were randomly selected depending on their ability to
provide the information required. Six head teachers were selected by stratified sampling
out of 44 head teachers of secondary schools.
One questionnaire for students; three different sets of interview schedules: one for head
teachers of secondary schools, one for education officials and one for constituency
bursary officials; and an observation schedule for document analysis were used. Data was
descriptively analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and
Microsoft Excel Data Tools. Frequency distributions, percentages, mean and modes were
used to present the data while information that could not be quantified was subjected to
content analysis.
After data analysis, the following were the findings: (1.) There are some students who do
not take up their places at secondary school as a result of financial difficulties (lack of
school fees.); (2.) Some students have been dropping Out as a result of lack of fees; (3.)
The amount of bursary advanced to students is not enough to clear their fee balances; and
finally (4.) Approximately 21% of applicants are considered for bursary awards of
varying amounts in Migori District.
The study findings led to the following recommendations: (1.) There is a need for the
Government to educate potential bursary applicants about the availability of the facility
as well as the need to put in place clear guidance with r~gard to the amount of bursary to
be allocated per student; (2.) There is need to increase Government allocation to bursary
fund from the current KShs. 750 million to KShs. 2 billion; and (3.) the Ministry of
Education should in consultation with other stakeholders in the secondary education
workout ways to allow individual schools to evolve a fee waiver mechanism and income
generating activities at school level to subdue poor students fees shortfalls.
Citation
M.ED (Educational Administration and Planning) Thesis 2006Sponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
College of Education and External Studies, University of Nairobi,
Description
Master of Education Thesis
Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [6020]