Financing of public primary schools and the provision of educational facilities under the 8-4-4 system of education in Rigoma division, Nyamira district, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not the financing of public primary schools had provided adequate educational facilities under the 8-4-4 system of education in Rigoma Division, Nyamira District, Kenya.

Ninety-seven individuals in 18 sampled schools were respondents. They included 18 headteachers, 18 school chairpersons, 18 school parents, 18 assistant teachers and 18 pupils. Also included in the figure of 97 were 6 Zonal Schools’ Inspectors and one A.E.O.

Results of data from questionnaire, interview and observation schedules analysed using tables, means, frequency distribution and percentages showed that:

1. Parents were the main contributors to educational facilities. 2. There were adequate classrooms in public primary schools in Rigoma Division. 3. Workshops, school, exercise books, mathematical geometrical sets, paper, and rulers were inadequate. 4. Pit latrines were inadequate. 5. All the schools in the study sample had soccer, netball and athletics pitches as well as agricultural gardens, while some of them had volleyball pitches.

From the findings it was concluded that, for the last thirteen years (1985-1998) the financing of public primary schools had not provided adequate educational facilities under the 8-t-4 system of education.

It was recommended that:

1. There was need to organize the co-ordinate major fund-raising at the divisional level to provided educational facilities in public primary schools in the Division.

2. Government education officials in collaboration with leaders should organise inter-visits at all levels among schools’ parents and schools’ communities to learn from each other on how to avail educational facilities.

3. There was used to disseminate information on research findings ''on the alternative ways of financing educational facilities'' to public primary schools in the Division.

4. There was need to establish a science laboratory in every primary school.