A survey of factors influencing girls' attitude towards secondary education in Wajir district, Kenya

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors influencing girls' attitude towards secondary education in Wajir District. The research objectives included establishing how availability of learning facilities at schools influence girls' attitude towards secondary education in Wajir District; how girls relationship with teachers influence their attitude towards secondary education in Wajir District as well as determining how economic status of a family influence girls' attitude towards secondary education in Wajir District. The study also sought to establish the relationship between parents' level of education and girls' attitude towards secondary education in Wajir District. The study employed descriptive survey research design utilizing both quantitative and qualitative approaches where the target population included all the 5 girls' secondary schools with a population of 1120 girls in Wajir district 5 principals and 33 class teachers totalling to 1158 people. A sample of 25 percent students, 5 guidance and counselling teachers, 28 class teachers and the 5 principals yielding a total of 318 respondents. Each girls name in attendance register was written on a piece of paper, folded and put in a basket. One girl was blind-folded and asked to pick the folded papers. The papers were then unfolded and the girls whose names appeared on the papers participated in the study Questionnaires were used for data collection. There were four different sets of questionnaires for the study. These were questionnaires for the principal, guidance and counseling teachers, class teachers and students. For the questionnaires were piloted in Moyale girls' secondary school and Sololo Girls Secondary School in the neighboring Moyale District which had similar characteristics with Wajir district. The questionnaires were administered to 10 students from each school who were randomly selected, the principal and the guidance and counseling teacher and class teacher. The results of the piloting were used to adjust any ambiguity in the questionnaires. Once the questionnaires were collected, the researcher embarked on the data analysis. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of data was applied. The analysis of data was guided by the objectives of the study. Qualitative data were put and categorized according to themes and where applicable presented in the form of frequency tables. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistic such as percentages means, graphs and charts and the coded data was used to present information facilitated by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings of the study: From the study, inadequate teaching materials in schools, and girls 'illicit relationships with teachers as well as poverty in families negatively affect girls' attitude towards secondary education. In addition, the majority of students' parents do not have formal education regardless of their gender. Their illiteracy was however found to negatively affecting girls' attitude towards secondary education. The researcher therefore recommends that, government should ensure adequacy of teaching materials in schools to lessen hardships encountered by students when learning. Girls' illicit relationships with teachers should also be curbed through appropriate punitive measures while both teachers and parents should take up the role of educating students with mentality that, there are no readily available jobs and therefore negative attitude on secondary education. Poverty eradication should be enhanced by the government through effective adoption of relevant policies.