Factors influencing internal efficiency in public primary schools: a case of Bungoma South District, Bungoma County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish factors influencing internal efficiency in public primary schools in Bungoma South district. It was guided by the following objectives: To find out how school related factors influence internally efficiency in Bungoma South district, to determine how socioeconomic factors influence internal efficiency in public primary schools in Bungoma South district and to determine whether cost of education influences internal efficiency in Bungoma South district. The study was expected to be beneficial to policy makers in the formulation of policies to improve internal efficiency in public primary schools and the general public in promoting aspects that improve internal efficiency. It was also hoped that the study will contribute to the body of knowledge and form a base for further research in this area. The study was limited by the reluctance of some respondents to give information due to fear of victimization. This study was guided by an equal rights theory advanced by mc Clackin in 1964. The target population was the standard seven and eight pupils and head teachers of the 87 public primary schools in the district which gave a target population of 12,087 individuals. In sampling the schools, Yamane 1967 formula was used to sample 26 head teachers. The researcher randomly sampled the 26 head teachers and then purposely sampled 4 standard seven pupils and 4 standard eight pupils from the schools where the head teachers had been sampled. This gave a sample size of 234 respondents. The study used questionnaires to get information from the pupils and interview guide to get information from the head teachers. The validity of the instruments was determined by exposing them to the supervisor for scrutiny and criticism. The reliability was determined by pilot testing them in two schools in the district which were not part of the sample size. Test-re-test was done after two weeks to ascertain the reliability. The tools were then administered to the respondents. The findings were presented using frequencies and percentages in tables. The study revealed that school related factors, socio-economic factors and cost of education high influenced internal efficiency in public primary schools in Bungoma South district. It recommended that the government builds more class rooms, buys more books and employs more teachers to cushion parents from high costs of education. The study also recommended that the ministry of education carries out regular supervision of schools to check on syllabus coverage and issues of levies charged.