A Study of Attitudes of Public Secondary School Students Towards University Education in Embakasi Division, Nairobi Province

Abstract

This study investigated the attitudes of public secondary school students towards university education in Embakasi division, Nairobi province. There was need to establish whether there existed a significant difference between secondary school students' attitudes towards university education and their, gender, age, year of study and parents' level of education.Out 0[320 secondary school students sampled for the study, 309 completed the questionnaire. Career guidance teachers also participated in the study. There were a total of 4 teachers involved. Simple random and purposive random sampling techniques were used. The research instruments were students' questionnaire and teachers' interview guide. UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI EAST AFRICANA COLLECTION The findings were as follows: 1. Secondary school students had a positive attitude towards University education. 2. There was no significant difference between secondary school students' attitudes towards University education and their gender, age, year of study and parents' level of education. 3. Factors such as high tuition fee in the university, long stay in the University, high

entry grade to the University and unemployment of university graduates -. influence the enrollment of secondary school students to the university. The following recommendations made were based on the findings of the study: 1. Majority of secondary school students in public secondary schools in Embakasi division, Nairobi province had a positive attitude towards university education the universities in the country especially public universities should avail information to secondary schools students about university programs and requirements for one to join them so that the positive attitude student have

towards them can be maintained. 2. Long duration taken to complete university cycle is prompted by students and lecturers strikes. The universities (administration and management) should design a mechanism of handling students' grievances especially through workable dialogue and proper communication channels to reduce on students strikes. The government should always be conversant with what other university are doing in the region to motivate university dons so that their services to the universities are not interrupted by strikes they should be taken good care of so that the issue of brain drain can be eliminated from the country. Proper remuneration of the lecturers can easily solve the problem. 3. Universities should design programmes that are flexible such that students can study at their own pace and information on the programmes should be availed to secondary schools students well in advance for instance when they are in form two so that they can prepare for their career in good time.