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European Journal of Education Studies ISSN: 2501 - 1111 ISSN-L: 2501 - 1111 Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu Volume 3 │Issue 9 │2017 doi: 10.5281/zenodo.1034608 SELECTED FACTORS INFLUENCING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUBSIDISED PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION IN BURETI SUB- COUNTY, KERICHO COUNTY, KENYA Joyce Chirchir1, Hellen Sang2, Eric Mibei2 Postgraduate Education Student, 1 University of Kabianga, Kenya Dr., Lecturer, University of Kabianga, Kenya 2 Abstract: In the last decade, the government of Kenya has emphasized the provision of education as a leading policy initiative. As a result, the government instituted the Free Primary Education (FPE) in the year 2003, which resulted in high enrolment of the pupils at the Primary level. However, costly school fees were found to be a major reason that the vast majority of primary graduates could not attend Secondary schools because their families could not afford the cost. The provision of Subsidized Secondary Education (SSE) is very important in Kenya given that the country is a low income one. SSE policy was launched in 2008 with an aim of ensuring that all primary pupils from class eight are able to continue well with secondary education. There are limited studies on the SSE programme currently and it is against this background that this study sought to shed more light on the programme. The purpose of this study was to establish factors influencing implementation of SSE policy on access and retention of education in public secondary schools in Bureti Sub-County. The study aimed at establishing the factors that influence effective implementation of free secondary education in public schools in Buret Sub-County, in Kericho County, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population was the school Principals/Deputy Principals, Teachers, Sub-County Director of Education, District Quality Assurance and Standard Officer. Simple random, systematic and stratified sampling procedures were used. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected from the study. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics after data cleaning and coding. Quantitative data was analyzed using frequency counts, means and percentages while qualitative data was Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. © 2015 – 2017 Open Access Publishing Group 768 Joyce Chirchir, Hellen Sang, Eric Mibei SELECTED FACTORS INFLUENCING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUBSIDISED PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION IN BURETI SUB- COUNTY, KERICHO COUNTY, KENYA analyzed thematically. Results of data analysis were presented using frequency distribution tables, bar graphs and pie charts. SPSS program was used in the analysis. The findings show that the major challenges facing implementation of FSE includes; Delay in disbursing the SSE funds, over enrolment of students leading to strained physical facilities, inadequate facilities, lack of funds from the government for expansion, acute teacher shortage, poor cost sharing strategies. Key intervention measures for mitigating the identified challenges includes; Government to release funds in good time to avoid straining relations between suppliers and schools management, increasing bursaries support from M.O.E, NGOS, CDF for continuing students, providing clear policy on fund disbursement and increasing FSE allocation per student among others. Keywords: subsidised public secondary school education; implementation; factors influencing; Kenya 1. Introduction Education is widely seen as one of the most promising paths for individuals to realize better, more productive lives and as one of the primary drivers of national economic development UNESCO (2005). Education also forms the basic component upon which economic, social and political development of any nation is founded World Bank (2009). Investment in education can help foster economic growth, enhance productivity, contribute to national and social development and reduce social inequality. According to UNESCO , the level of a country’s education is one of the key indicators of its level of development. Globally, education is recognized as a basic human right. The Human Rights Charter treats education as one of the human rights. Additionally, Bishop (2007) indicates that in 1948 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights laid down Article 26, that everyone had the right to education and that education would be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Education for all has been discussed in international forums, for example United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Conference at Jomtien, Thailand in 1990 and its follow up in Dakar, Senegal in 2000. Consequently, governments around the world have invested huge amounts of their expenditure on education. Before independence, education for most African countries was geared towards perpetuating and producing aims and content inherited form the pre-independent past. The current re-thinking however ensures that the African is rooted in the culture of his/her European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 9│ 2017 769 Joyce Chirchir, Hellen Sang, Eric Mibei SELECTED FACTORS INFLUENCING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUBSIDISED PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION IN BURETI SUB- COUNTY, KERICHO COUNTY, KENYA environment and prepared for participation in nation building through educational reforms World Bank (2008). Despite the tremendous increase in primary school access, secondary school access has remained low. In 2009, the secondary school net enrollment rate was approximately 50% (World Bank, 2009), while in 2010 the primary to secondary school transition rate was equally low at 55% MOE (2010). This shifted the focus towards universal secondary education with Uganda beginning the implementation process in February 2007 UNESCO (2008). The Kenyan government followed thereafter by introducing the idea of subsidizing tuition fees as per Sessional paper No. 1 2005 Shikanda 2008; Mibei (2010), so as to increase transition rates from primary to secondary schools to 79%; which according to the economic survey of 2008, stood at 59.9%. The government of Kenya has invested heavily in education so as to achieve the education related Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and Vision 2030. However, financing of education has become more expensive Eshiwani (1993). The report on the Task Force on Affordable Secondary Education (2007) drew a conclusion that equity in provision of education had not been achieved since less than 4% of secondary students were drawn from the poorest per capita expenditure groups while 28.2% were from the richest quartile Republic of Kenya (2008). Secondary education in Kenya has grown tremendously Republic of Kenya (2008). In 1963, there were 151 secondary schools, a student population of 30,121. This has progressed over the years with the current students’ population being , 8 , and the number of secondary schools being , 8 Republic of Kenya (2008). For viewing / downloading the full article, please access the following link: https://oapub.org/edu/index.php/ejes/article/view/1120 . European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 9│ 2017 770