Efficiency Implications of Free Primary Education Policy on Quality of Public Day Primary Schools in Kyeni Division, Embu County, Kenya

Abstract

The major problematique of this paper is that although major strides have been made to expand basic education in Kenya, the system exhibits high levels of inefficiency, particularly at the primary school levels. To this end, this study examined efficiency implications of free education policy on quality of public day primary schools in Kyeni Division, Embu County, Kenya. The study was guided by five objectives. The study was premised on the Systems Theory. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 10 public day primary schools out of the 35 schools in Kyeni division. Simple random sampling was used to select a sample size of 521 subjects comprising 10 Head teachers, 10 School Management Committee (SMCs) chairpersons, 400 students, 100 teachers and one Area Educational Officer (AEO). Questionnaires, Interviews Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Observations were used in data collection. Data was processed and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS. The major findings were that; i) schools lacked enough resources which negatively impacted on the quality of teaching learning thus lowering achievement of learners; and ii) Education in study locale was characterized with increased drop-out and repetition cases and low completion and transition rates. It was recommended that budgetary allocations should be increased and disbursed on time to the schools. In addition, the Government of Kenya as well as individual schools should strive to put in place quality and quantity of instructional resources , regularly in-servicing teachers to improve their pedagogical skills, economically empower parents so that they are able to meet both direct and hidden costs of education, initiate school feeding programmes to boost school attendance and ensure retention, make primary school curriculum more attractive; as well as revamp existing youth polytechnics to strengthen and create centres for vocational and skills training