The Effect of Expanding Access of Day Secondary Schools: Evidence from Kenya (original) (raw)
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Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 2015
Education has been recognized as human right and a key factor to reducing poverty and child labour. It is therefore imperative that all girls and boys have access to basic education by ensuring that gender disparities at this level are eliminated. To attain this desire the Government of Kenya announced the introduction of free primary education in January 2003 which saw enrolment in primary schools increase by about 70 percent. While the program created an opportunity for big number of children it created challenges of how to efficiently and effectively ensure learner access to education especially in the rural counties of the country. Vision 2030 acknowledges that "Despite recent improvements, high disparities in access to education at all levels remain a challenge" The study reported in this paper was purposed to determine the socioeconomic determinant influencing efficiency to education in Kaloleni and Rabai Sub-Counties in Kenya. Two specific objectives and two research questions were used in the study. The study employed a survey research design with constructivism as epistemology underpinning the study. (Babbie, 1990; Fowler, 2002; Patton, 2002) One hundred and forty public primary schools (140) formed the total population. Random sampling was used to select seventy six school head teachers (76), one hundred and eighty pupils (180) and 180 households. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from the class teachers and pupils while Interviews were carried out for head teachers, household heads and a District Quality Assurance Standard Officer (DQASO).Observation checklists were also used to capture data on socioeconomic status of the households, school facilities and the population dynamics in the area. The data gathered from the field was organized and presented in form of frequency schedules, counts and percentages for the purpose of analysis. Both descriptive statistics were used to analyze data and reported things the way they were. The study findings revealed low enrolment and access trends of girls (48.5%) as opposed to that of boys (54.2% in the rural counties are determined by low income (20%) earning between ksh, 1,000/= to 5,000/= per month, poor education background (20%) illiterate no education and (19%) only primary education, parents and large families 80% have children between 6 and 8 per family). One hundred percent of the respondents interviewed cited adverse economic conditions as detrimental to pupils' enrolment. The study also revealed that school related factors, cultural and religious beliefs and practices as well as negative attitudes towards girl's education tendered to deter female participation than their male counterpanes. The study recommended stepping up of public education campaign against retrogressive socio-cultural practices. It is imperative that collaborative efforts between the Government, communities and Non-Governmental Organizations are enhanced to ensure success of such efforts. Increasing participation of women in all economic, social and political decision making processes right from the grass root level will be vital and bound to empower them to make rational decisions in education of their children.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), 2019
Expansion of public day secondary schools was expected to enhance access and provide quality education to students who miss the opportunity to access boarding facilities in County, Extra-County and National schools due to high school fees charged. The specific objective of the study was to determine the effect of expansion of public day secondary schools on the quality of education offered in Mumias Sub-County. The study employed descriptive survey research design. A sample size of 1,323 students, 164 teachers and 36 principals from a population of 4,410 form 3 and 4 students, 546 teachers and 43 principals respectively were involved. Simple random and saturated sampling were used to select students/teachers and principals respectively. Research instruments used were questionnaires, interview schedules and observations. Quantitative data collected from closed questionnaire items was tallied and presented using frequency counts, percentages and means. Qualitative data was transcribed and organized into categories and themes based on study objective. Analysis of data was done using descriptive statistics and data presented in form of frequency tables. The findings revealed that most teachers had the standard workload of 27 lessons per week, there were inadequate reference text books in all subjects, practical lessons are rarely conducted, most public day secondary schools (PDSS) had untrained personnel in the library and laboratory, there was high teacher shortage in languages, sciences, mathematics, humanities and applied subjects. The study concluded that expansion of public day secondary schools had no effect on the quality of education offered; hence more public day secondary schools can be established to attain 100% transition from primary to secondary schools. Quality was relative to resources even public day secondary schools which had limited resources still achieved quality education within the context of available resources. The study recommended that the Teachers Service
2021
Although students’ learning outcomes are not expected to be equal, the differences should not be accounted for by the differences in school resources. Equality of opportunity in financing schools’ resources is evidenced by the lack of a relationship between the availability of school resources and differences in students’ learning outcomes. Tharaka Nithi County, one of the 47 Counties in Kenya, has consistently had a high difference in students’ learning outcomes in different public day secondary schools. This study sought to establish if differences in students’ learning outcomes in Tharaka Nithi County evidence equality of opportunity. The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-method research design. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 738 (368 male and 370 female) Form 3 students and 738 (368 male and 370 female) parents of the Form 3 students. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data was thema...
Journal of Education and Practice, 2014
The thrust of this paper is to access how factors in social inequality impact on learning process among primary school children in Athi-River district. The objectives of the study were three fold, namely i) to identify types of social inequality and challenge,ii) document access to education by primary school pupils and iii) determine the state of retention of learners in schools. The study was premised on the Reference Theory by Matron (1936) which stipulates that people often identify with social and cultural group to which they belong. A descriptive survey design was adopted to guide the study. A combination of purposive and stratified sampling techniques were applied to select 256 subjects comprising of 48 parents, 72 teachers , 120 pupils and 2 quality assurance and standards officers (QASOs) to participate in the study. Questionnaires for teachers and pupils, focused group discussion for parents and interview guidelines for QASOs were the main research instruments used to collect data. The major findings were that poverty, family background (orphans) poor infrastructure, poor pupilteacher ratio, level of parental education and poor housing were the major social inequality factors in the community. It was also evident that although accessibility to school was good, the schools were not enough for all school-age going children. The conclusion was that the negative impacts of social inequality on education of pupils include poor academic performance, lateness to school, dropping out of school, early marriages, early employment and drug abuse. The study recommended that employing more teachers, improving school feeding programs and infrastructure were some of the measures meant to reduce the negative impacts of social inequality in schooling in the study locale of Athi-River District, Machakos County, Kenya.
Equity in Access to Secondary Education in Kenya
Journal of Education and Practice, 2014
The Constitution promulgated on August 27, 2010 divides the territory of Kenya into administrative units called counties as it did away with the provinces. One of the objectives of such devolution is to promote social and economic development as well as the provision of proximate and easily accessible services, including education, throughout the country. Among others, the Constitution holds that every child has the right to free and compulsory basic education. However, historically, there has been uneven distribution of schools right from the pre-colonial, colonial period up to now. This disparity in the distribution of schools in regions has far reaching implications not only with regard to equity in access, but also quality that depended highly on the type of school, especially at the secondary level. This scenario is strikingly similar to the defunct provinces where a number of them had fewer and poorly equipped secondary schools as compared to their share of the population. Thus there is a daunting task in the planning of education in the country's 47 counties. The purpose of this paper therefore, is to critically examine the provision of secondary education in Kenya, with specific reference to equity in access, in the wake of the devolved county units as well as explore the prospects in a bid to facilitate its successful implementation. During the critical examination, the distribution of secondary schools in general, and the national ones in particular, in the country is discussed in a historical perspective. Particularly, this approach will assist not only in bringing out the stark disparities in the provision of secondary education in the country, but also help in formulating policy suggestions to attempt and surmount the attendant challenges.
2021
The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) policy on academic Performance of Rural Public Day Secondary Schools (RPDSS) in Kilifi County, Kenya. The study adopted descriptive survey research design and a sample of 375 subjects was considered sufficient. Structured questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data from principals, teachers, and education directors. Data on performance and enrolment were collected through document analysis. Reliability of the instruments was ascertained through test and retest method that yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.83, an indication of reliable instruments. The study found out that there was a decrease in school mean score between 2003-2007 and 2013-2017. There was a strong positive correlation (r = 0.93) between enrollment and poor performance. Further, learning resources and student finances were inadequate. The study recommends a reduction in class size, timely disbursement and increased students' capitation.
Greener Journal of Educational Research, 2016
Access to secondary education in public schools in Kenya has not been fully achieved due to rising costs in education. In 2003, the government of Kenya adopted a devolved system of funding of education through the Constituency Development Fund in order to promote access to secondary education. In Kisumu County, the scenario is not so different from the national one. Although public secondary schools in the county receive money from Constituency Development Fund, statistics show that the Gross Enrolment Rate was at 35% lower than the national one which was 48.8% in the year 2012. The influence of Constituency Development Fund on access to secondary education was not known and this therefore warranted an investigation. The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of Constituency Development Fund on access to secondary education in public schools in Kisumu County. Descriptive survey and correlational research designs were adopted. The study population comprised of 220 public secondary school principals, 13,813 form four students, 7 Constituency Development Funds Managers and 7 Sub-County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers. Simple random sampling was used to select 140 secondary school principals and 1,400 students while saturated sampling was used to sample 6 Quality Assurance and Standards Officers and 6 Constituency Development Funds Managers. It was found that Constituency Development Fund was a significant predictor of access to secondary education in Kisumu County. This was because there was an increase in the number of new schools that were purely started using Constituency Development Funds and several classrooms were also constructed in the already existing schools within the county. The study recommended that the amount of money disbursed to secondary schools through Constituency Development Fund should be increased so as to have a higher impact on access. This study is important because it may provide useful information to education planners on how Constituency Development Fund influences access to secondary education and what needs to be done in order to effectively use it to improve enrolment in secondary schools in Kenya.
The decline in primary school enrolment in Kenya
Journal of African Economies, 2004
Since independence in 1963, Kenya has invested substantial resources in the education sector. For almost twenty-five years, these investments and other government policies led to impressive gains in educational access at all levels. However, since the mid-to late ...
2018
DOI: 10.21276/sjahss.2018.6.7.17 Abstract: The study investigated current trends in enrolment rates and subsidized school funding in Kenyan public secondary schools by school category, basing on the Von Thunen‟s Production Function Theory that relates educational inputs and outputs. The study was undertaken in Vihiga County. A descriptive survey research design was used to guide the study. All the 5 Sub-County Directors of Education, 5175 form three students, 115 principals and 1023 teachers from all the 115 public secondary schools in Vihiga County formed the target population. A sample of 518 students, 102 teachers, 12 principals and 5 Sub-County Directors of Education was selected by saturated sampling for the directors of education, stratified random sampling for the schools and simple random sampling for the students, teachers and principals. Data were collected using a questionnaire, an interview schedule and a document analysis guide. These instruments were validated and asse...
access and quality kenyan education system
Education is widely seen as one of the most promising paths for individuals to realize better, more productive lives and as one of the primary drivers of national economic development. The citizens and the government of Kenya have invested heavily in improving both the access and quality of education, in an effort to realize the promise of education as well as to achieve the education-related Millennium Development Goals and Vision 2030.