Factors that influence students choice to study christian Religious Education in selected secondary schools in Kinangop division, Nyandarua district Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors that influenced the student's choice to study Christian Religious Education as an examinable subject in some selected schools in Nyandarua District. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population comprised the nineteen secondary schools in the division. The representative sample comprised six secondary schools as follows: one boy's boarding school, one girl's boarding school, two mixed boarding schools, and two mixed day schools. The representative sample was obtained through stratified random sampling.' The respondents included one hundred and seventy Form Three students taking CRE in the selected schools. Other respondents included six CRE teachers, six head teachers and six sponsors. The key findings of the study were that majority of the students mainly chose CRE because it was viewed to be in line with their career aspiration. It was also found out that religious background influenced the students to select CRE. Half of CRE students viewed CRE not just an academic subject but also a source of spiritual growth. It was also established that teachers, peers and parents played a role in influencing the students to study CRE. Due to resources constrains ,the study was carried out only in Kinangop division, Nyandarua District. Accordingly more research needs to be carried out in other parts of the country to gather adequate information concerning the subject.