Factors influencing pupils’ enrolment in public primary schools in Kenya; a case of Mt Elgon sub county, Bungoma county
Abstract
Education is an important investment. It empowers men and women and provides
opportunities for active participation in development by inculcating knowledge, skills and
attitudes that are compatible with sustainable development The purpose of this study was
to investigate factors influencing pupils’ enrolment in public primary schools in
Mt.Elgon sub-county .The objectives of the study were to establish how the adequacy
of teaching / learning resources influence pupils’ enrolment in public primary schools, to
determine how adequacy of physical facilities influence pupils’ enrolment in public
primary schools, to establish how the location of the school influence pupils enrolment
in public primary schools and to examine the influence of family background on pupils’
enrollment in public primary schools in Mt.Elgon sub- county . The target population for
the study was 130 public primary schools, 1040 standard eight pupils, 1040 parents and
130 primary head teachers in the sub-county. The study sample size was 20 public
primary schools and their respective head teachers and 160 class eight pupils and parents.
Three questionnaires both open ended and closed ended were used to collect data from
head teachers, parents and class eight pupils. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze
data using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 17.0) whereby tables, mean,
frequencies and percentages was generated. A pretest was carried out in five schools
randomly selected from its neighboring Bungoma North sub-county to test validity and
reliability. The result from the study was helpful to the ministry of education, teachers
unions, teachers, parents and other stakeholders to ensure enrolment in schools improve.
The study found out that most of the schools do not have enough charts and maps for use
thus not often do teachers go to class with them. As for adequacy of latrines, it found out
that pupils queue at the latrine for a long time which means that most of the schools in
Mt.Elgon Sub- County did not have enough latrines. The study also found out that 49%
of class eight pupils lived with one parent and 16% lived with their guardians. Another
finding was that majority of the parents had acquired little education and that parents
belong to low level economic status. The study also revealed that schools were located
far from pupils’ location and they mainly go to school on foot. The study concluded that
most of the schools in Sub Mt.Elgon County do not have enough teaching learning
materials for use thus not often do teachers go with them to class for use and that the
pupils walked for long distance before getting to school. The study recommends that an
evaluation study should be done to determine retention of pupils in public Primary
schools in Kenya
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [6011]