The effectiveness of subsidies in enhancing optimal enrolment in public secondary schools in Kericho District, Kenya

Abstract

The main objective of the study was, among others, to determine the effectiveness of the operation of the ministry of education tuition fee waiver and CBF with special attention to equity consideration. Thus, the study dwells on the effectiveness of the optimal subsidies in achieving optimal enrolment projections in public secondary school education in Kericho District; with a population of sixty- three public secondary schools, out of which twenty per cent were sampled for the study. The purpose of the study was to carry out a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of optimal subsidies in enhancing optimal enrolment projection in Kericho district public secondary schools among the poor and vulnerable groups. The reviewed literature was done o support the research purpose under the headings: Secondary education provision in countries outside Africa (USA and Europe), secondary education provision in developing economies and secondary education provision and participation in Kenya. The selected methodology for the study was the survey design. The research instrument that was used included Headteachers questionnaire on optimal subsidies and documentary analysis table. The data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively; with the aid of frequencies, tables, averages, pie-charts, percentages and graphs. The study revealed, among other things, that though the tuition fee waiver initiative have greatly reduced the financial burden of secondary school going age-group, the parents still meet the hidden costs of education. It was established that on average parents directly spent KES 33,964 (79%) for provincial schools and KES 12,654 (55%) for day schools on these costs. Additionally, the results showed that many secondary schools in Kericho District were under resourced in terms of infrastructure, instructional materials, human and financial resource. On the strength of the findings and the subsequent conclusions drawn, this study recommended among other things that, to ensure sustainability of the free tuition fee initiative and other safety nets programme, stakeholders and development partners be mobilised and encouraged to participate actively and support the programme with a hope that this will be sustained over time. The Government should also institute and enhance systematic and continuous monitoring mechanisms for the tuition fee waiver and other safety nets programme in its entirety so as to consolidate the gains made so far.