Strategies employed by school actors to alleviate wastage in public primary schools in Njoro district, Nakuru county - Kenya
Loading...
Date
2014-07-23
Authors
Oino, Joseph Onsarigo
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty and inequality
and it lays a foundation for sustained economic growth. School wastage is a grave
issue resulting from serious causes. There are overwhelming statistics that higher
numbers of boys and girls dropout of school or repeat classes in different parts of the
world. The general objectives of the study were to investigate the strategies employed
by the school actors to alleviate wastage in public primary schools in Njoro District in
Nakuru County. The study was guided by the following specific objectives; to identify
the main causes of repetition and dropout in public primary schools in Njoro District,
to establish the strategies used by public school teachers to mitigate wastage in Njoro
District and to establish the strategies used by public primary school management to
alleviate wastage in Njoro District. The study was guided by Social Darwinisim
Theory of Equal Opportunities that asserts that each person is born with a given
amount of capacity which to a large extent is inherited and cannot be substantially
changed. The key literature review of the study was concept of primary school
wastage, factors influencing wastage and the role of school actors in mitigating
wastage. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The study targeted 84
headteachers, 889 teachers and 5 quality assurance officers. Out of this target
population, 88 class teachers, 17 headteachers and 3 quality assurance officers were
selected as sample of respondents using purposive and random sampling techniques.
Data were collected using questionnaires for teachers and headteachers. Interview and
observation schedules were used to gather information from quality assurance officers.
Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics through Statistical Package
for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics were presented by use of frequencies
and percentages. Data collected through interview were examined for completeness
and relevancy in order to ascertain their usefulness, adequacy and
probability. Qualitative data analysis was thematic. The following are findings, of the
study that majority of the school headteachers, teachers and quality assurance officers
indicated that their schools experienced cases of dropouts and repetition. The major
reasons cited why pupils dropout were; poverty, lack of moral support from parents
and poor performance. The study exposed that pupils repeat in classes in Njoro
District because of the following reasons: poor performance, irregular school
attendance and lack of advice from teachers and parents. To curb wastage, the
respondents cited the following strategies; carrying out sensitization programmes to
parents on the value of education, guidance and counseling and conducting remedial
programmes. The following conclusion was drawn from the study:- that, poverty, lack
of moral support, irregular school attendance, forced repetition, early marriage, orphan
hood, contributes significantly to primary school wastage in the district. Strategies
suggested by respondents were creating guidance and counseling in schools, adoption
of remedial teaching, and adherence to automatic promotions and carrying out
sensitization programmes to parents to value education and avoid charging
unauthorized levies in schools.