Family Background and Its Effect on Pupils’ Transition Rate from Primary to Secondary Schools in Soin/Sigowet Sub-County, Kenya

Stanley Langat Kimutai; Stephen Tomno Cheboi

doi:10.37284/eajes.2.1.180

Stanley Langat Kimutai Mount Kenya University
Stephen Tomno Cheboi, PhD Mount Kenya University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37284/eajes.2.1.180

Keywords: Family Background, Rates of Transition, Public Primary, Secondary Schools, Education

Share Article:

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of pupils’ family backgrounds on their transition rates from public primary schools to secondary schools in Kenya’s Soin/Sigowet Sub-County. The study adopted mixed methods approach and the research design employed was descriptive survey. It targeted a population of 76 headteachers and 715 teachers from which a sample of 63 headteachers and 250 teachers was used. Clustered random sampling was used to obtain the 63 schools from their zones, simple random sampling to select teachers and purposive sampling on headteachers. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from teachers and interview schedule from headteachers. The two instruments were validated, piloted and a reliable 0.75 Cronbach’s coefficient alpha applied. Quantitative data was analysed and presented in frequencies and percentages, while qualitative data was described alongside the quantitative data. The key findings of this study were: educated parents provided moral and material support to their children, occupation of parents determined their financial ability to educate their children and parental involvement played a crucial role in the performance and progress of their children in education. The study revealed that family challenges which included homelessness, hunger, domestic violence and drug abuse affected the transition of pupils from public primary to secondary schools. The study recommended that education stakeholders in the Sub-County should sensitize parents on the importance of ensuring children proceed from one level of education to another. On further research, the study recommended that the research needed to be replicated in other parts of the country by varying its approach.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alderman, H. &Paterno, E.M. (2009), school quality, school cost and the public/private school choice of Low-Income Households in Pakistan, Journal of Human Resources 34,304-326.

Byrnes, V. & Balfanz, R. (2012). Chronic Absenteeism; summarizing what we know from National Available Data. Baltimore; Johns Hopkins University.

Charles, K.O. (2013). The impact of student social-economic background on Academic performances in Universities, a case of students in Kisii University College. America international Journal of Social Science, vol 2. No 2.

Chimombo, J.P. (2009). Issues in basic education in developing countries, an exploration of Policy of option for improved delivery. Journal of International Co-operation in Education vol8 No 1.

Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research Design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.

Dalton C. & Glauber, R. (2009). Parental education involvements and children’s Academic Risk. Estimate of the impact Sibship Size and Birth order from Exogenous variety in Fertility. National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) working paper 11302.

Dermir, E.C. (2009). Factors influencing the academic achievement of the Turkish urban poor. International Journal of Educational Development. 29 (1), 17-29.

Dominic, M.K. (2013).” Factors influencing transition of pupils from primary to secondary schools in Meru Central District in Kenya”. Med Thesis University of Nairobi. Unpublished.

Kaburu, L.R (2013). “Establishing barriers in transition from Primary to Secondary in Meru West Division, Meru County.” Med Thesis Kenyatta University. Unpublished.

Kikechi, R.W & Geoffrey, M. (2011). “Factors affecting transition rates from primary to Secondary Schools; case study Kenya “Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, (MMUST), Kenya. Unpublished.

Lewin, K.M (2008). Expanding access to Secondary schooling in Sub-Saharan African. Key Planning and finance issues. Create pathways to access Research Monograph No.8 Brighton University of Sussex.

Madassir, I.U, &Norsuhaily, B.A. (2015). The impact of parents’ occupation on academic performances of secondary school students in Kuala Terengganu. Multilingual Academic Journal on Education and Social Science. Vol 3 No 1

MOE, (2008). Report on Task Force on Affordable Secondary Education. Nairobi; Shren Pub. Ltd.

Ogola, J.O (2013). “Factors influencing transition rate of learners from primary to secondary schools in Rangwe division of Homa Bay District, Kenya”. Med Thesis University of Nairobi- Unpublished.

Orodho, J.A (2009), Techniques for writing Research proposal and reports. New York: Prentice Hall

Oyango, B. (2013). Some Kenyan Children Are not in School Despite Free Primary Education.

Shafiqul, A. (2015). Effects of community factors on primary school learners’ achievement in Rural Banglasesh.

Tomno, C. S. (2014). Teachers’ Perception of Principals’ Instructional Leadership Practices and their Influence on Students’ Academic Achievement in Public Secondary Schools (Doctoral dissertation, Moi University).

UNESCO, (2014). Textbook and learning resources; A Global and Framework for Policy Development. Paris: France.

UNICEF, (2016), “Defining quality in education” working paper series UNICEF; New York.

Vellymallay-Suresh, (2012). Parental involvement at home; analyzing the influences of parents’ social-economic status, studies sociology of science vol.3 No1.

World Bank, (2008), Transition to Secondary Education in Sub-Saharah African Equity and Efficiency Issues. Working paper No 125, World Bank, Washington DC.