FREE DAY SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION

Abstract

The study endeavoured to investigate factors that cause dropout of secondary school students in Kipkelion Sub County. The study was guided by social demand theory. The objective of the study was to identify factors that cause drop out in secondary schools in Kipkelion Sub County.  The Study population comprised 1600 form 4 students and 25 head teachers in 25 secondary schools in Kipkelion Sub County. The sample size consisted of 343 students and 19 head teachers which were selected using both purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Questionnaires and document analysis were used to collect quantitative data while interviews with the principals and sub county directors generated qualitative data. Validity of instruments was confirmed by involving experts. Reliability was determined by using parallel form technique and chronbach’s alpha of 0.78 was obtained. It was established that despite the introduction of free day secondary school education (FDSE), there is still a good number of obstacles. The greatest causes of dropouts are early marriages and teenage pregnancies among girls. There are also latent costs which are beyond the reach of most parents and others are retrogressive cultural practices, pregnancies, lack of sufficient teachers, HIV and AIDS. In spite of innovative strategies the Government of Kenya has undertaken, the cost of education has not substantially decreased for a majority of students whose backgrounds are poor. The recommendation is that the Government of Kenya through the ministry of education should increase the amount of capitation and sensitize the communities on the importance of taking their children’s education more seriously especially the girl-child and elimination of retrogressive cultural values.