Factors Contributing To Completion Rate Of Female Pupils In Public Primary Schools Within Kenya’s Tea Estates, A Survey Of Belgut Subcounty County

Abstract

Enrollment and retention of girls has consistently lagged behind that of boys in most regions of Kenya MOE (2006): a major concern to all educational stakeholders. This is because female pupils face a lot more challenges than their male counterparts in and out of school. The main purpose of this study was to establish factors contributing to completion rates of female pupils in public primary schools in Kabianga division, Belgut Sub-County. The study was guided by specific research questions and objectives that included the nature of completion rate, school and home based factors that contribute to completion, strategies at school level and input of stake holders aimed at retaining girls in school. The study adopted a descriptive survey methodology with both qualitative and quantitative approaches to source, analyze and synthesize available data. The sample comprised of eleven primary schools within Finlay’s tea estate. The preferred sampling procedures were cluster and stratified random sampling. A set of questionnaires were administered to 103 primary school continuing girls of standard seven and eight and 21 class teachers while interviews were conducted on 8 Head teachers and the S.C.D.E. Validity of the questionnaires was enhanced through a pilot study. The obtained data was analyzed, synthesized and presented with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). This programme facilitated univariate analysis, giving rise to frequency and percentage distributions. Findings of the study revealed that: too many domestic chores 82(79%) delegated to female pupils were responsible for low retention/ completion rate; 85(82%) of pupils quoted in-adequate resources; 72(70%) argued that sexual harassment of girls by teachers was responsible for low retention and transition rate of female pupils; 74(72%) of pupils opined that forced repetition of girls was responsible for low retention/transition rate of girls; 11(52%) of teachers opined that re-admission policy of young school- going girls who became pregnant enhanced the retention/transition rate of girls. On strategies employed for managing completion and drop-out rate of female pupils. 1(13%) of head teachers identified dialogue with parents advising pupils to repeat; 2(25%) identified effective teaching, 1(13%) mentioned effective monitoring of school attendance; 2(25%) identified guidance and counseling while 1(13%) opined that talking to girls boosted their completion rate. On perspectives of Kenyan stakeholders on ways of boosting female pupils’ completion rate in primary schools, 93(90%) of pupils asserted that active participation of parents facilitated the enhancement of girls’ completion rate. The S.C.D.E confessed that comprehensive teaching enhanced the performance of girls and other vulnerable children, thus motivating them to stay in school (retention). Based on the findings of the study, the study made the following recommendations: teachers should desist from harassing sexually/abusing young school- going girls; parents should delegate less domestic chores to female pupils; moreover, forced repetition of pupils should be stopped in schools; re-admission policy should be fully enforced to enable pregnant school going girls get avenues of resuming their learning upon delivery and pest teachers and other adults who sexually prey on school-going girls should be subjected to the full force of the law. In addition, dialogue with parents advising pupils to repeat; effective teaching; effective monitoring of school attendance; guidance and counseling and talking to girls should be enforced as strategies for boosting female pupils completion rate. Parents should initiate and sustain a conducive environment at home for self-study; provide girls with necessities such as pants, sanitary towels alongside other schooling requirements. Teachers and other players in the educational playing field should embrace comprehensive teaching in order to enhance the performance of girls and other vulnerable children. Informed by the results of this study, educational stakeholders especially the Government of Kenya should formulate related policies and introduce mechanisms to enhance retention/completion rate of female pupils.