A survey of factors contributing to girl drop out rates in public primary schools in Transmara east sub-county of Narok county, Kenya

Abstract

According to the World Education Forum held in Dakar in 2000, all children, irrespective of gender must have access to and complete education of good quality by the year 2015.This is was largely achieved but the only drawback to this is its sustainability. This is highly contributed by the raising cases of girl- drop out. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors contributing to girl dropout rates in public primary schools in Transmara East Sub-County, Narok County, Kenya”. The population for the study was 258.The respondents were 2 educational officers,180 teachers, 30 parents’ representatives’ and 16 girl schools dropout and Purposive sampling was used to select 30 PTA chairpersons , while random sampling was used to select 180 teachers and 16 girls school dropout. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and was guided by a model of institutional departure from school. Data collection tools were; questionnaires, interview guide and document analysis. Primary data which was collected by use of both open and closed ended questionnaires and document analysis pertaining to school enrolment panel per class for the year 2010 to 2017 was used to generate data for his study. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and was presented in forms of graphs, charts and tables. Home-based factors showed that, cultural factors, family economic status and educational attainment of parents contribute to girls’ school dropout at 86.43% while school-based factors findings show that unsafe learning environment, distance from school, discrimination of the girl child in school by teachers and leadership style contribute to the girl child to drop out of school at 13.46 % . On measures taken to curb the problem of girls ’school dropout the finding shows that there should more boarding schools established as rescue centre which organizes and does civil education on child rights and provide guidance and counseling services to girls’ school dropout. The study recommends that teachers should organize sensitization seminars for parents and girls by inviting successful female who have prosper in their career and that TSC should hire and promote more female teachers in the area.