Causes of students' low transition from primary to secondary schools in Kitui Central District, Kitui County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate causes of low students' transition rates from primary to secondary schools in Kitui central district, Kitui County, Kenya. The following objectives guided the study: to establish how socioeconomic factors, cultural factors, FPE enrolment increments, tripartite hierarchy of form one selection criteria and pupils' performance in KCPE examination were affecting low students' transition rates from primary to secondary schools. A descriptive survey research design was used. The target population was 739 which included 714 primary school teachers and 25 secondary school head teachers. A sample of 112, which included 10 head teachers, was selected using simple random sampling.

And 102 primary school class teachers were selected using purposive sampling from 40% (34) primary schools which were selected simple random sampling. A sample of 15.2% was greater than the minimum 10% recommended by (Mugenda and Mugenda, 2003) as the representative sample of the targeted population. Data were collected using a Head teacher's and primary school class teacher's questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, involving frequency distributions, means and percentages. The study fmdings showed that: the high cost of secondary education and poverty; FPE increased enrolments and the KCPE performance and secondary form one intake by space not by all who qualify to join secondary schools were causing low students' transition rates from primary to secondary schools.

Cultural factors and tripartite secondary schools' form one selection criteria did not cause the students' low transition rates from primary to secondary schools. The conclusion was that cost of secondary education, poverty and the number of qualified primary school students compared to the available secondary school vacancies caused the low students' transition rates from primary to secondary schools in Kitui central district. Thus, the study recommended a policy framework that enhances economic empowerment and creation of more secondary school places.