Influence Of Institutional Factors On Girls’ Completion Rates In Primary Education In Central Pokot Sub County, Kenya

Abstract

Completion in school has positive consequences for individuals throughout their lives. In an economy where education largely determines pay and occupation, high school drop outs hold a disadvantaged position. The purpose of this study was to investigate the institutional factors affecting girls‟ completion rate in public primary schools in Central Pokot Sub-County, Kenya. The specific objectives were to establish the influence of role models, teaching and learning resources, physical resources and provision of sanitary towels on girls‟ completion rate in public primary schools in Central Pokot Sub-County, Kenya. The study was guided by system theory. The study targeted 87 public primary schools with a population of 532 teachers 87 head teachers and 1131 girls. The study sampled 105 teachers, 156 girls and 26 head teachers. Simple random sampling procedure was used to select teachers. Questionnaires for teachers and interview schedules for head teachers were used for data collection. Reliability testing was done through test-retest method. Validity was ensured through discussion with the experts including supervisors and colleagues. Primary data was collected and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative analysis and presented in tables and graphs. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze open ended responses. The study found out that provision of sanitary towels influences girls completion. Lack of teachers in their school makes the learning process less fun and tiresome and this to some extent affects the completion. The schools have a provision of sanitary towels, which is not the required ratio for a school. Inadequacy has made teachers performance not good hence some preferring to move to private schools. The poor ratio of teachers to girls has contributed to some girls moving to other schools. Some of the available teachers in the school aren‟t adequately trained and this contributes to the transfer of some girls to other schools. Teachers as role models affect the completion of girls in the school to a great extent. The findings on the influence of teaching and learning resources on girls completion indicated that school have a teaching/learning resources and girls which is inadequate for proper learning and affects negatively girls‟ completion rate. The ratio of learning materials to girls is poor and influences completion of girls in the school. Girls leave school because they are not able to get the necessary learning resources in the school. It was found out that teachers‟ attitude affect the management of school resources which in turn affects the completion of girls. The MoE and TSC should employ more teachers to enhance the teacher girls‟ ratio in primary schools. There should be a research on other factors affecting girls‟ completion rate in primary schools since this study only focused on four institutional factors.