| dc.description.abstract | The government of Kenya introduced Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) with a
view to increase secondary school education access and raise completion rate of
students who were initially deemed unable due to high cost of secondary education.
Despite this, a number of students fail to complete education. The purpose of this
study was to determine the completion rates of boys in public day secondary schools
against the backdrop of the FDSE in Mbeere South Sub-county. The study aimed at
establishing home, school and social factors that affect completion rate of boys in
public day secondary schools in Mbeere South Sub County. The target population was
2590 students in day secondary schools, 25 principals and 220 teachers. A sample of
338 respondents, comprising of 10 principals, 120 teachers and 208 students in form
two, three and four were used in the study. The respondents were randomly and
purposively selected. Students were randomly selected. The principals, guidance and
counseling and deputy principals were purposively selected. The other teachers, were
randomly selected. Correlation research design was used to show the relationship
between the selected factors that influence boys‟ completion rate. The study employed
two theories: The Classical Liberal Theory of Equal Opportunity and Herzberg‟s Two
Factor Theory. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the students and
teachers while interview was used for the principals in the sampled schools. Pilot
study was conducted in Embu West sub-county, which has similar environmental
characteristics as Mbeere South Sub-county to test the reliability of the research
instruments before the actual data collection. Twenty-eight students and twenty-three
teachers were involved the pilot study. The reliability coefficient obtained was 0. 753.
which is an acceptable reliability coefficient. Validity of the research instruments was
improved by expert judgment of supervisors from Chuka University. Descriptive
statistics used was frequencies, mean, percentages and standard deviation. The
Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 computer software
program was used to analyze the data. Completion rate was rated as good though
some students had failed to complete secondary education. On average both students
and teachers observed that home related factors did not affect the completion rate but
it was affected by school related factors as attested to by the majority of the teachers
and students respectively. On social factors majority, and of teachers and students said
that completion was also affected by social factors. These are; family economic status
type, gender and education level of household and size of the family. School related
are principals‟ administration style, curriculum, provision of learning facilities,
teacher student interaction and bullying. Social factors such as drug and substances
abuse and negative peer influence. The study is significant since it can help school
administrator, teachers, parents and policy makers on what should be done to improve
the completion rate. The study recommended that the government should waive all
the levies charged students in public day schools in arid areas like Mbeere South,
enforce Education and Children Acts that regulate education provision in Kenya. The
financial aid given to needy students should be decentralized as it does not sometimes
benefit since it is riddled with politics and to some extent corruption. Teachers in
public schools should be equipped with pedagogical skills to cater for learners needs
in classroom. | en_US |
