Factors Influencing High Drop Out Rates Among Pupils In Public Primary Schools In Bungoma North District,kenya
Abstract
While enrolment is steadily rising in primary schools in Kenya, dropout rates
continue to be high too, with over 50% of the children, both boys and girls
dropping out before completing the primary school cycle. The purpose of this
study therefore was to identify factors influencing high dropout rates among
pupils in public primary schools in Bungoma North District. The study focussed
on children who had dropped out of primary school at various classes. The
objectives of the study were; to determine whether house hold- factors influences
high dropout rates in primary schools; to establish whether student’s personal
factors influences high dropout rates in public primary schools, to examine
whether gender influences high dropout rates in public primary schools and to
determine whether the conditions within the school influences the dropout process
in primary schools. The study was conducted in public primary schools in
Bungoma North District using descriptive survey design. The target population
was 1459 members. The sample comprised of 21 public primary schools of
which, 15 head teachers, 185 classroom teachers and 95 dropouts were sampled
using the stratified and the snowball sampling methods. This constituted a total of
295 respondents involved in the study. A questionnaire and two interview guides
were the main tools used in data collection. The instruments were refined during
the pilot study. Data was coded manually and later analysed quantitatively and
qualitatively using descriptive statistics mainly percentages and content analysis.
The results were presented by use of frequency tables and bar graph. Conclusions
were made based on the findings. The results revealed that both external and
internal factors influence high dropout rates in study area. On gender differentials,
it was revealed that more girls dropout in upper primary level while boys dropout
more both at middle and lower primary. It was recommended that teachers,
parents, community and government should work in harmony to curb the trend of
dropout.
Citation
Master of Education in Educational Planning,university of Nairobi, 2013.Publisher
University of Nairobi, College of education and external studies,
Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [6020]