FAMILY DETERMINANTS OF TRANSITION FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MBOONI EAST DISTRICT, MAKUENI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Makueni County is affected by low transition rates, poor participation and completion rates. Access to secondary education in Mbooni-East district is also poor. The government of Kenya set a target of transition rate of 70% from primary to secondary schools from the current rate of 47%, and this is not achieved yet. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the family determinants of transition from primary to secondary schools in Mbooni-East district. Specifically this study sought to attain the following objectives: to establish the relationship between educational level of parents with transitions; determine the influence of parental income and transition; describe how the sibling position influenced transition and establish the measures which could be taken to enhance transition in the district. The results of this research were to generate useful information which would be used by educational planners and educational administrators to maintain efficient transitions in the district. Classical liberalism theory was used for the study. Descriptive survey research design was also used for this research as it was the most used method for collecting information on people’s attitudes, opinions, habits or any of the variety of educational or social issues. The study was conducted in secondary schools, in Kalawa division, Mbooni-East district, Makueni County. The target population was head teachers; Parents Teachers Association’s representatives (PTA’s) and all boys and girls in form one, in Kalawa division in the sampled schools. Probability sampling technique (systematic or interval sampling) was used because it removed the possibility of investigator bias. A sampling interval (k) and a random start were used to choose the sample. Research instruments were questionnaires for the head teachers, PTA’s and form ones and interview schedules for the PTA and the form ones in the division. Validity was done to check the accuracy of various skills and reliability done to determine the degree of coefficient of the theoretical concept. Piloting was done to check the accuracy of the research instruments. The questionnaires were filled and interview conducted in presence of the researcher at various different times. The data collected from the specific schools were analyzed through descriptive statistics. These are measures of central tendency such as the mean and percentages. The dependent variable was transition and the independent variables were parental level of education, parental income and sibling position on transition in Mbooni-East district. The findings showed a 45.6 percent of fathers’ who had reached form four and had a mean transition of 2.8 transition. Mothers’ who earned Kenya shillings 7500 formed 12.8 percent and a mean transition of 3.47. The results showed that transition was high to educated parents and low to illiterate parents, the sibling position favoured by transition were fifth borns who formed 20 percent and a mean transition of 2.8. Therefore, education is very necessary for the parents in order for them to educate their children; too, earning is also important for the parents in order to get money to educate their children. Lastly, every child should have equal opportunities to access secondary education, regardless of sibling position. Some measures which could be used to enhance transition in the district included building new schools and improving the existing ones, reduction of school fees and then government’s effort to sensitize the parents on the need and importance of supporting transition to all secondary schools in order to improve access to education in the district.

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