Factors affecting students retention and dropouts in secondary schools; a case of Umande division in Laikipia East district.

Abstract

ABSTRACT School retention is a very essential component of education process. Resources invested in education cannot yield desired results without proper retention of students in schools. The general objective of this Thesis was to investigate the factors affecting retention in secohdary schools in Umande Division of Laikipia East District. The problem is that there have been many students who join secondary schools but fail to complete their four year course. Towards achievement of Kenya's millennium goals of determination to provide education for all (EF A), Kenya has recorded remarkable increment in secondary school enrolment since independence in 1963 but efforts to retain these students is still a problem. In 1985-2002 for example it had increased enrolment at all levels especially in day schools. The purpose of this study was to identify reasons as to why after all these students join secondary school, some are not able to complete the secondary school cycle in Laikipia East District. The study was also supposed to access how schools were able to retain students in their schools, who were at the verge of leaving school. The objective of the study was to identify how school, family and work related factors affect retention. A population of 125 drop out students was selected and 125 parents with the victims who had dropped out were used to access reasons dropping and where the students were currently. A sample table was used that was PEOD6 sampling table on appendix V.Ten (10) schools were selected and all the ten (10) administrators of the schools who were too few to be sampled. Dapi once collected was organized coded and fed into computer programme SPSS fo~ analysis. The research findings indicated that students still left school because of varied reasons. Even when measures to retain them had existed in to the institutions students till left school early. The findings indicated that pregnancy, school fees, own wish took the greatest reasons for early leaving. This research conceded with Tinto's Theory which has been used in this work. Retention of students in secondary school is basically as a result of individual characteristics, family background and institutional fit. Equally this findings shows that retention of students depends on family and personal issues, hool issues and work related issues. This information will help the school administrators, education developers' implements recommendation in chapter five. It will also help the stakeholders concerned with ways to trace the drop out students and ek ways of helping them.