Headteachers practices influencing girl child participation in schooling in public primary schools in Kimana and Amboseli division, Kajiado county, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the head teachers‘ practices influencing girl child participation in schooling in public primary school among the girl child in in Kajiado County-Kenya. The objectives of the study included to establish the extent to which headteachers use of guidance and counseling influence girl child participation in schooling in public primary schools in Kajiado County, Kenya, to determine the extent to which provision of sanitary towels influence girl child participation in schooling in public primary schools in Kajiado County, Kenya, to assess the extent to which girl child readmission after birth or marriage influence participation in schooling in public primary schools in Kajiado County, Kenya and to establish the extent to which head teachers provision of role model to girl child influence participation in schooling in public primary schools in Kajiado County, Kenya. The researcher used case study design where the research structure included intensive and in-depth investigation on an issue at hand in a relatively small sample. The head teachers and pupils involved in the study were randomly selected from schools selected. The researcher used simple random sampling technique with forty head teachers participating in the study whereby each school had one head teacher involved from their respective schools. A total of 172 pupils participated in the study. This study was conducted by the researcher using prepared questionnaires which respondents were school head teachers and pupils. The researcher also used interview guide to which were carried out on school teachers‘ counselors. The instrument validity was measured through research objectives of the study. The researcher visited the school she intends to collect the data from and introduced herself to the head teacher. The questionnaires were personally administered to the head teachers and pupils by the researcher and record responses. The researcher analyzed each questionnaire according to the opinion of respondents. The interview guide on school teachers counselors were analyzed qualitative as per each response, the responses were counted, the frequencies calculated, percentages and mean score obtained. The study revealed that head teacher‘s provision of role models, sanitary towels, and learning resources. Parents‘ economic status and level of education had greater contribution to participation of girl child secondary education. The recommendation that school supervision by the head teachers and the directorate of Quality Assurance Standards should monitor and give proper guidance to the teachers on the need to implement girl rights education in their schools, the teachers need to be good role models to be emulated by girl child to achieve higher participation in education. The Government through the Ministry of Education and the school management committees should allocate more resources for the girl child education in public primaryschool