| dc.description.abstract | Education is universally recognized as playing a key role III sustainable Socil-economic
development. It is the right of every child to get education. Since
independence, secondary education has expanded but retention has remained a real
challenge. Male students who get admitted to secondary schools drop out before the
completion of the secondary school cycle.
This study investigated the causes of male dropouts in public secondary schools in
Kipipiri Division of Nyandarua District. It sought to find out the reasons for the high
drop out of male students in public secondary schools. It further tried to establish the
role played by school related and non-school related factors and their influence on the
drop out phenomenon. The study gave suggestions on possible strategies to curb the
drop out from school.
Employing an ex post-facto design, the study collected data from 9 out of 10 mixed
schools in the division using three types of questionnaires focused on principals,
guidance and counseling teachers and the dropouts. The data collected was analyzed
using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics involving
frequencies and percentages were used to explain the findings of the study.
The findings revealed that there is a complex interaction of many factors causing the
drop out of male students from school. No one factor can be fully identified as the
main cause. However, several factors that have optimal effect were identified. These
include: lack of school fees and the capacity to meet the schools' financial
obligations, de-motivation of students, lack of counseling in schools, lack of role models in and out of schools, lack of peaceful and conducive atmosphere, rebellion
against school environment, drug abuse, hunger, desertion of school by the students,
family instability and the effect of HIV/AIDS. The study then made pertinent
recommendations based on these findings and study conclusions. The government
should increase budgetary allocations to schools to ensure provision of facilities and
learning materials and to ease the burden of educating children. Guiding and
counseling in schools should be intensified to tackle student' problems. The teaching
of HIV/AIDS should be strengthened. The government should met out stiff penalties
on drug dealers to save the future generation. The Ministry of Education should
ensure there is enough personnel to carry out frequent school inspections to ensure
maintenance of high education standards and performance. Finally, due to the gaps
identified and the questions raised in relation to certain aspects of the study and
related issues,the study recommends further research on the following areas:(i)
Retention, repetition and completion rates at secondary school level.
(ii) Disbursement and effect of constituency bursary fund on the education of
boys and girls.
(iii) Extent of drug abuse in secondary schools.
(iv) Extent of male drop out in boarding and day schools. | en |
