Factors influencing students' choice of day secondary schools in Igembe North district, Meru County

Abstract

ABSTRACT Uneven choice of day secondary schools by both students and their parents is evident in Igembe North District. Despite this, there are no available studies that have been carried out on the factors influencing students' and parents' choice of day secondary schools in Kenya and more so in Igembe North District, Meru County. This is despite the fact that there may exist varied factors that influence students' choice of day secondary schools in the district. The purpose of this study therefore was to bridge this research gap where the researcher sought to identify factors that influence students' choice of day secondary schools in lgembe North District. The research objectives were to identify factors such as socio-economic status of parents; academic; institutional and environmental with a view to establish whether these factors influence students' choice of day secondary schools in the district under study. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The population target was 1550 members while the sample size was 315 respondents, made up of 15 head teachers, 15parents, 15 day secondary schools and 270 form four students all of which were randomly selected. Questionnaires were used as instruments for collecting data from the head teachers, students and parents. Validity of the instruments was done through experts in research and piloting. Reliability was tested by subjecting the instruments to a pilot study through the split-half technique and then Spearman Brown Prophesy formula was used to compute a reliability coefficient, which was established at 0.68.Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics. Quantitative data was analyzed using frequency counts and percentages while qualitative data was analyzed by tallying the numbers of similar responses. Results of data analysis were presented using frequency distribution tables and bar graphs. The study concluded that the socio-economic factors of parents did not influence students' choice of day secondary schools while on the other hand academic factors as well as institutional ones influenced. The researcher therefore recommends that the government should post enough teachers for every subject to all day secondary schools as a step towards minimization of the uneven choice of day secondary schools by students and parents. Further, the government and other stakeholders should ensure provision of adequate and appropriate infrastructure in day secondary schools is done urgently. The structure of this thesis include introduction in chapter one; literature review in chapter two; the research methodology in chapter three; results and discussion in chapter four and summary, Conclusions and recommendations in chapter five.