Strategies of Addressing the Rising Demand for Secondary School Education in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to explore the strategies of addressing the rising demand for secondary school education in Nairobi City County. Despite the high budgetary allocation towards education, more primary school graduates fail to transit to secondary schools. The enrolment challenge is worse in urban areas especially in urban slums where majority of the urban population is concentrated. Though this situation is blamed on the existence of limited secondary schools, the government expenditure on the education sector is already overstretched. The objectives of the study focused on utilization of the existing secondary school resources, influence of cost on demand for secondary education, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and Government initiatives. This study was rooted on the utility theory. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population was 235 secondary schools from where 71 schools representing (30%) were sampled. From the sampled schools, 71 principals and 384 students were sampled. Out of the 120 education officers in the County, 12 (10%) of them were sampled. Questionnaires, interview and observation schedules were used to collect the data. Data was analyzed using SPSS and STATA softwares. The study found that the demand for secondary schools was high, the existing secondary schools resources had not been efficiently utilized, school fees had hindered demand to some extent, majority of the schools did not have any Public Private Partnerships and the existing Government initiatives had a predictive value on secondary school demand. The study concluded that the demand for secondary schools was high in Nairobi City County, most of the existing resources in secondary schools had not been efficiently utilized, school fees had to some extent hindered school demand, majority of the schools did not have any form of Public Private Partnerships and the existing Government initiatives had a predictive value on secondary school demand. The study recommends that, all the existing secondary school resources should be fully utilized, all schools should strive to forge Public Private Partnerships, more day schools should be provided because thay are cost friendly while Government initiatives should be enhanced.