Factors influencing participation of the boy child in primary school education, a case of fishing in Nyatike District Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish factors influencing the participation of the boy child in primary school education, a case of fishing in Nyatike district Kenya. The objectives of the study were to determine the influence of fishing on school attendance of the boy child in primary schools, examine the boy child's involvement in fishing on the development of discipline, to analyse how fishing affects the performance of the boy child in primary schools in Nyatike district as well as study the influence of fishing on drop out of the boy child in. primary schools in Nyatike district.

The study used the descriptive survey design to gather both qualitative and quantitative data. The research instruments included questionnaires which had structured, closed -ended questions and open ended questions. Quantitative data was used to analyse descriptive statistics to generate frequencies and percentages while qualitative data was analyzed according to themes and was converted into frequencies and percentages where necessary and also reported as narrative.

The study revealed that, fishing is one of the main causes for persistent absenteeism of male pupils in schools since it is the major socio-economic acitivity in Nyatike District. Most pupils do not attend classes because of poverty, especially the orphans, who have to take care of their siblings. Other main causes of absenteeism are peer influence from those who drop out to look for jobs in fishing factories, poverty makes the pupils go for fishing so as to provide for their family members therefore resulting to poor school attendance of the male child in Nyatike district primary schools.

The researcher, therefore recommends that, the government through the relevant ministries should ensure that fishing activities in areas around Lake Victoria do not at all affect the schooling of the boy child. This can be achieved through implementation of the necessary policies. In addition, Children who drop out of school because of poverty should be given special considerations on bursaries and sponsorship.