Free secondary school education policy and the quality of teaching and learning in public day secondary schools of Nakuru county.

Abstract

Education and training processes are human capital formation. All activities aimed at improving quality of human life such as spending on health and training are part of human capital Kenya in recognition of the importance of education has since independence in 1963 made efforts to avail education to her people. For example, the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) Government that took over from KAND in 2002 reintroduced free primary education in 2003. This was a follow-up on its campaign promise in which it had pledged to introduce free primary education. ln addition the government introduced free secondary education in 2008. In this policy the government undertook to meet tuition fees of 10265 per student while the parents were required to meet costs of transport meals and boarding fees for those in boarding. Though noble on the part of the government, evidence showed that there had been a lot of challenges in attempts to implement the free education policy. This study sought to establish how the free secondary education policy had impacted on quality of education in public day secondary schools in Nak:uru County. The study adopted a survey design. The proportionate and purposive sampling techniques were applied in the selection of the study sample. Questionnaires and interviews were used as instruments of data collection. The data collected were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics. The study found out that the FSE programme had led to the improvement of quality of learning due to the availability of adequate teaching/learning resources. It also established thatFSE had improved the quality of school management due to greater accountability and numerous management courses head teachers and heads of departmenthad to undergo. The study concluded that FSE had led to more regular acquisition of teaching/learning resources in public day secondary schools. However these •ere not enough due to the big enrollments of the students.Due to the large number of students enrolled, there was a big strain on the available teaching/learning resources and this has led to the danger of provision of poor quality learning. The study recommends that the gains made in the implementation of the FSE should be further strengthened by addressing the issue of faster release of funds to schools so that teaching/ learning is not hindered due to lack of resources. The study further recommends that the issue of teachers' shortage leading to a big teacher/student ratio should be addressed so as to uphold quality of learning.