Factors influencing participation of students in public secondary schools in Marakwet District, Kenya
Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to assess the factors influencing participation of
students in public secondary schools in Marakwet district. The researcher's target
population comprised of twenty six secondary schools in Marakwet district. The student
sample was 'selected based on streams, gender, and class determined by random
sampling. For the case of the students the study targeted 140 students. The main
research instrument that was used in this study was the questionnaire. Data was
analyzed qualitatively.
Descriptive survey was employed and data presented in the form of frequency
distribution tables, graphs and pie charts that facilitated description and explanation of
the study findings. SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) was used to generate
frequency distribution tables. The study findings indicate that socio-economic factors
had the highest effect in the participation of students in secondary school education.
Socio-economic factors include poverty, low income level, inability of the parents to
pay fee, cost sharing policies, provision of family labour and lack of basic needs.
The study found out that socio-cultural factors such as early marriages, pregnancies and
traditional culture were a major cause of low participation of secondary school students
in secondary education. Also the findings revealed school based factors such as school
environment, climate, drug abuse, indiscipline, teacher characteristics, forced repetition
and uninteresting curriculum affected participation of students in secondary school tire.
The study also concluded that the head teachers' flexible administrative policies and
government granting of bursaries to secondary school students has gone a long way to
enhance access, retention and completion rates.
The findings recommended that there is need to enhance the economic situation of the
people to enable them cater for the education needs of the children. The community
should be sensitized on the importance of education to provide for the needed physical
facilities for the schools. The researcher suggested areas for further research to include
students in other districts to compare these factors, teacher related factors and the effect
on their participation of secondary school students in the education cycle.
The study recommends intervention and the implementation of an effective framework
for participatory rural development that will ensure access and most importantly
retention of students accessing secondary schools education.
Citation
Mutwol, L.C.K(2009). Factors influencing participation of students in public secondary schools in Marakwet District, KenyaSponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
College of Education and External Studies, University of Nairobi
Description
Master of Education- Thesis
Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [5980]