Influence of Free Primary Education Policy On Pupil Participation by Gender in Public Primary Schools In Rongo Sub County, Kenya

Abstract

ABSTRACT Countries world over have endeavored to achieve gender equality in education given that it is central in propelling national growth and development. Kenyan Government, in its efforts to attain gender parity and increased access in 2003 implemented the Free Primary Education (FPE) Policy which narrowed gender gap nationally; public primary school Gross Enrolment Rates (GER) in 2010 was 119.8% (119.2% girls; 120.4% boys) with a disparity of 1.2%. However, Rongo lags behind with a GER of 10S% (95.4% girls; 114.6%) in the same year which is a wide disparity of 19.2%. This raises the study's concern on why this big disparity exists. The purpose of this study was therefore to establish the influence of FPE policy on pupil participation by gender in public primary schools in Rongo Sub County, Kenya. Objectives of the study were to: determine influence of FPE policy on; access by gender; survival rates by gender; graduation rates by gender. A conceptual framework was adopted for this study. Ex Post- facto and descriptive survey research designs were used. The study population comprised of 42 schools, 1 Sub County Quality Assurance and Standards Officer (SQASO), 966 and 624 Class 7 and 8 pupils respectively. A simply random. sampling was used to 'select 20 schools, all 20 head teachers as the main informant and 40 class teachers of class seven and class eight of the selected schools were purposively used. Saturated sampling technique was used to select SQASO and Glen Israel formula was used to select 320 pupils from IS90 pupils of class seven and eight. Questionnaire, interview schedules, document analysis guide and focus group discussion were used to collect data. The instruments were validated by experts in the Department of Education, reliability established through test-re-test method using 4(9.S%) of schools and data obtained correlated using Pearson r at an alpha level O.OS. The coefficients of head teachers' and class teachers' questionnaires were 0.82 and 0.79 respectively since they were higher than 0.70, the instruments were considered to be reliable. Quantitative data were collected via closed items of the questionnaires and document analysis guide and analyzed using cohort analysis and descriptive statistics. Qualitative data from interviews and open ended items . of the questionnaires were collected; transcribed and analyzed- using emergent themes. The study revealed that, FPE had a positive influence on access, survival and graduation rates though girls still lagged behind boys. There were cases of class congestion, overcrowding, shortage of teachers and transfers of girls to private schools. The study concluded that though girl's enrolment in public primary was low compared to boys it was notice that a good number had transferred to private primary schools thus need for reformulation of FPE policy to enhance access, survival and graduation of girls. The study suggested further research on causes of continued expansion of. private primary schools even with introduction of FPE policy in Kenya. The findings are significant to government in improving FPE Policy to enhance gender parity.