Bursary Scheme and its Influence on Secondary School Participation by Learners from Poor Households in Homa Bay County, Kenya
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Date
2022
Authors
Ojwang, Janet Auma
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
The study investigated bursary scheme and its influence on participation in
educational activities by learners from poor households in Homa Bay County,
Kenya. Despite the government’s systematic release of bursary funds to
constituencies, there were questions on whether the bursary scheme facilitated
participation of needy learners in secondary school education. Homa Bay County
had climatic conditions unfavourable for agriculture, was dominated by low
rewarding economic activities like small scale fishing and the HIV and AIDS
scourge had impoverished the residents of the county, necessitating bursary
intervention. The objectives of the study were: to establish the bursary application
procedure and disbursement criteria in Homa Bay County, to find out the awareness
creation mechanisms on existence of bursary in Homa Bay County, to establish the
extent to which needy learners benefitted from the bursary scheme in Homa Bay
County, to determine the extent of fairness in the distribution of secondary school
bursary awards in Homa Bay County and to identify the challenges facing the
secondary education bursary scheme in Homa Bay County. The study was guided by
the Classical Liberal Theory by Sherman and Wood that stressed on each child
being given opportunity to develop their naturally given capacities and talents
without barriers so as to promote the individual’s socio-economic mobility. The
study employed a descriptive survey design. Purposive sampling was used to pick
16 schools out of 51 for the study. 900 respondents participated in the study. A pilot
study was done to determine the feasibility of the study and test-retest method was
used to assess reliability of instruments. The first and second test scores were
correlated using Pearson Correlation Coefficient which gave a result r=0.98
indicating a strong correlation and therefore a reliable instrument. Content validity
of instruments was done by the researcher and other professionals. . Questionnaires,
interview schedules, focused group discussions and document analysis were used to
collect data. Qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were employed.
Analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 and results presented in
frequency distribution tables, line charts and bar charts. Information obtained
through emergent themes was analyzed qualitatively while the rest were subjected to
quantitative analysis. The greatest success of the bursary scheme was found out to
be subsidized school fees while the greatest challenge was political manipulation.
The study revealed that fairness was not adequately observed in the distribution of
secondary school bursary awards. Suggested recommendations included people of
high integrity be put in CBC, bursary be given only to needy students, sufficient
amounts be awarded, transparency and accountability be enhanced, bursary policies
be followed, disbursement be done in time, CBC to get correct data on needy
students from schools and government to enhance monitoring of the disbursement
process.
Description
A Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology of Education and Policy Studies of Kenyatta University, January 2022
Keywords
Bursary Scheme, Influence, Secondary School Participation, Learners from Poor Households, Homa Bay County, Kenya