Home Based Factors Influencing Students’ Dropout Rate in Public Mixed Day Secondary Schools in Buret Sub-county Kericho County, Kenya

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of home based factors on students’ dropout rate in public mixed day secondary schools in Buret Sub-County Kericho County, Kenya. The specific objectives were to examine the influence of family income, parents’ level of education, family size and child labour on student dropout rate in public mixed day secondary schools. The study employed descriptive survey design. This study used simple random sampling to select 10 schools, a sample size 10 head teachers, 40 teachers and 142 students. Questionnaire for principals, teachers and students was used for data collection. Reliability analysis was done through test-retest method. Primary data was collected and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative techniques, quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in frequency tables and graphs. Data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. It was found that low family income negatively influenced students’ dropout from school. This is because the poor parents are unable to provide school necessities for their children. This eventually leads to their drop out of school. From the findings, it was concluded that parents level of education influenced students’ dropout from school. Uneducated parents do not attach lot of value to schooling and students from uneducated parents do not complete secondary school. Uneducated parents do not help their children to do their school assignments. Uneducated parents do not commit resources to support their children’s learning and uneducated parents are not represented in secondary school. It was found out that family size has an influence on students’ dropout from school. students from families with many sibling are prone to drop out of secondary school and students from polygamous families drop out of secondary school due to lack of school fees. It was found out that students from large families are often absent from school to take care of younger siblings. Students living in families without parents are likely to drop out of school while students from single parent families are more likely to drop out of secondary school. It was found out that child labour influences students’ dropout from school. Students who engage in manual work at home are frequently absent in school and will eventually drop out of school and students who engage in manual work are fatigue and lack concentration in school. Forced labour makes the students to drop out of school while students who are involved with child labour experience learning difficulties. Students who engage in manual work at home are frequently absent in school and will eventually drop out of school. The Ministry of Education should arrange induction of workshops for both the parents and principals to sensitize then on the benefits of homebased factors and its positive influence on students’ dropout from school. Research should be done on the influence of socioeconomic factors on students drop out rate in private schools in other regions and Sub Counties.