Equality of Opportunity in Learning Outcomes Attainment through Financing Public Day Secondary Schools’ Resources in Kenya
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Date
2021-03
Authors
Nkonge, Gatwiri Winniejoy
Ndiritu, John
Njihia, Mukirae
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies
Abstract
Although students’ learning outcomes are not expected to be equal, the differences
should not be accounted for by the differences in school resources. Equality of
opportunity in financing schools’ resources is evidenced by the lack of a relationship
between the availability of school resources and differences in students’ learning
outcomes. Tharaka Nithi County, one of the 47 Counties in Kenya, has consistently
had a high difference in students’ learning outcomes in different public day
secondary schools. This study sought to establish if differences in students’ learning
outcomes in Tharaka Nithi County evidence equality of opportunity. The study
employed a convergent parallel mixed-method research design. A stratified random
sampling technique was used to select 738 (368 male and 370 female) Form 3
students and 738 (368 male and 370 female) parents of the Form 3 students.
Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while
qualitative data was thematically analysed. The study findings revealed that there
was a strong statistically positive significant relationship, r = 0.674 at p < .01
between school resource characteristics and differences in student’s examination
scores. The study also established that differences in public day secondary school
resource characteristics accounted for a 6.1% difference in students’ learning
outcomes after controlling for all the predictor variables which included student’s
household characteristics, student’s parental/guardian characteristics, and student’s
conduct characteristics. The study thus recommends that financing of public day
secondary school resources should focus on equity given the inequality of
opportunity in secondary education attainment.
Description
A Research Article in East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies
Keywords
Equality of Opportunity, School Resource Characteristics, Learning Outcomes, School Resource Financing, Difference, Equity, Equality.
Citation
Nkonge, G. V., Ndiritu, J., & Njihia, M. (2021). Equality of Opportunity in Learning Outcomes Attainment through Financing Public Day Secondary Schools’ Resources in KenyaEast African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 3(1), 78-88. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajis.3.1.303.