Principals’ Practices Influencing Retention of Girls in Public Secondary Schools in Suba Sub-county, Homa Bay County, Kenya

Abstract

Massive disparities have been witnessed in the girl child education in developing and developed countries. The proportion of girls who access basic level education and eventually make it to secondary level face numerous challenges that lead to their dropout from the education system. This sturdy therefore sought to establish the principals practices that influenced the retention of girls in public secondary schools in Suba Sub-County, Homa Bay County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following research questions: How does the provision of sanitary towels, the provision of guidance and counseling, the soliciting of donor involvement by principals and the provision of safe and secure environment influence the retention of girls in secondary schools in Suba Sub-County. The researcher used descriptive survey research design. The target population consisted of 32 secondary schools that had 32 principals, 64 class teachers and 3860 student girls from Suba Sub-County. A representative sample consisting of 10 secondary school principals, 47 class teachers 116 girls was drawn through random sampling. The researcher developed an interview schedule and questionnaires as the data collection instruments that were approved for validity by the supervisors. Data was collected through the administration of questionnaires to class teachers and girls and the administration of interview schedules to the school principals. The quantitative data collected was analyzed and presented through descriptive statistics (bar graphs, frequencies and pie charts). Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in frequencies tables and graphs and pie charts. The findings of the study were that the provision of sanitary towels to girls had a positive impact on the retention of girls in schools as presented on table 4.1. Soliciting for donor involvement had a positive effect on the retention of girls in secondary schools as presented on table 4.2. Effective guidance and counseling had a positive bearing on the retention of girls in secondary schools as presented on table 4.3. And finally that having adequate safety and security measures in schools had a positive bearing on the retention of girls in secondary schools as presented on table 4.4. The recommendations from this study were that government and non-governmental organizations needed aid in the provision of sanitary towels to help girls remain in school throughout their education. Guidance and counseling programmes needed to be put in place in schools reduce dropout rates in secondary schools. Soliciting for donor involvement to assist in meeting the need of students hailing from poor background and having full implementation of adequate safety and security measures was needed in schools to enhance the retention of girls in schools.