Establishing barriers in transiting from primary to Secondary education in Miriga Mieru west division, Meru County
Abstract
Despite the efforts made by the Government of Kenya to improve primary to secondary
transitions, regional and gender disparities have existed with some regions like Miriga
Mieru West division of Meru County registering a dismal primary to secondary transition
rate of less than 50 percent thus prompting the researcher to conduct a research in the
area. The purpose of the study was to identify factors hindering transitions from primary
to secondary schools in Miriga Mieru West division of Meru County. The study
specifically set out to achieve the following specific objectives:- to identify social,
cultural, economic andgender factors that affected transition from primary to secondary
schools in Miriga Mieru division, to identify school based factors (internal) factors
affecting transition from primary to secondary education in Miriga Mieru division of
Meru County' and to identify research gaps on the above cited issues and interventions to
enhance transitions to secondary education and suggest measures that could be taken to
arrest the declining trend of transition from primary to secondary schools in Miriga Mieru
division. The study used to descriptive survey design to investigate and identify barriers
to transiting from primary to secondary schools in Miriga Mieru west division. The
researcher administered a pilot study on three schools which were had not been in the
actual study schools. Piloting was done to determine the validity and reliability of the
research instruments as well as making the researcher familiarize with the task ahead.
Unclear and vague items in the research designs were adjusted accordingly to make them
clear and meaningful. The target population was ten primary schools head teachers, thirty
primary school subject teachers, area.education officer, area assistance chief and twenty
class eight graduates who did not" transit to secondary schools. Data was collected
through questionnaires and interview schedules and analyzed in Micro-soft Excel
Package. It was established that a combination of intertwined factors closely contributed
to low primary to secondary transition in Miriga Mieru West Division. Internal
inefficiency in school, social cultural factors among others contributed to this low
transition. It was recommended that the government should rein force labour laws that
bar firms from employing minors, enhance penalties for principals levying extra fees to
pupils, expand the streams in the existing schools.. and enhance bursary allocation to
needy students among other measures to improve transitions from primary to secondary
Education.