EFFECTS OF SINGLE PARENTHOOD IN THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN A CASE STUDY OF LYANTONDE MUNICIPALITY, LYANTONDE DISTRICT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION

APPROVAL

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS v

TABLE OF CONTENTS vi

LISTOFTABLES ix

LIST OF FIGURES

ACRONYMS xi

ABSTRACT xii

CHAPTER ONE i

INTRODUCTION 1

1.0 Background to the Study 1

1.1 Statement Problem 3

1.2 Objectives of the Study 3

1.2.1 General Objective 3

1.2.2 Specific Objectives 4

1.3 Research Questions 4

1.4 Scope of the Study 4

1.5 Significance of the Study 4

CHAPTER TWO 6

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 6

2.0 Introduction 6

2.1 Causes of single Parenthood 6

2.2 Effects of Single Parent hood on Children Performance 8

2.3 Advantages of Single Parenthood 11

2.4 Disadvantage of Single Parenthood 12

CHAPTER THREE .14

METHODOLOGY 14

3.0 Introduction 14

3.1 Research design 14

3.2 The Area and Population of Study 14

3.4 Sample framework 14

3.4.1 Sample Size 14

3.4.2 Sampling technique and Procedure 14

3.5 Methods 15

3.5.1 Instruments Used for Data Collection 15

3.5.2 Sources of data 16

3.6 Data Analysis 16

3.7 Ethical Consideration 16

3.8 Limitations 17

3.9 Delimitations 17

CHAPTER FOUR 18

PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 18

4.0 Introduction 18

4,1 Demographic Background of the Respondents 18

4.1.1 Sex 18

4.1.2 Age 19

4.1.3 Marital Status 19

4.1.4 Education Background 20

4.1.5 Occupation 20

4.2 Causes of Single Parenthood 21

4.3 Effects of single parenthood on performance of children 21

4.4 Disadvantages 22

CHAPTER FIVE 23

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 23

5.0 Introduction 23

5.1 Discussion 23

5.1.1 Causes of single parenthood .23

5.1.2 Effects of single parenthood on performance 24

5.1.3 Disadvantages 24

5.2 Conclusion 24

5.3 Recommendations 24

REFERENCES 26

APPENDICES 28

APPENDIX A: WORK PLAN 28

APPENDIX B: BUDGET 29

APPENDIX C: QUESTIONNAIRES 30

ABSTRACT 

The recent rapid increase in divorce, along with its distinctive cultural and welfare environments for single-parent families, makes Kenya an interesting case for examining effects of single parenthood on children’s education. Using data from the questionnaires distributed I compared the levels of educational aspiration and student disengagement between students with two parents and those with a single parent, distinguishing divorced single fathers, widowed single fathers, divorced single mothers, and widowed single mothers. Logistic regression analysis show that students with a divorced single parent, regardless of gender of the parent, are much less likely to aspire to four-year university education and more likely to be disengaged than their counterparts with two parents. The effects of widowhood disappear once control variables are held constant. Lower household income among single-parent families explains in part the poorer educational outcomes of their children. Parent-child interaction is another important mediating factor for the effect of single fatherhood but not for single motherhood. The relevance of the extended family system and distinctive features of post-divorce living arrangements in Kenya is discussed to understand the effects of single parenthood.