Wastage Rates In Kenyan Secondary Schools: A Case Of Kathonzweni District, Makueni County (2005 – 2007 Cohorts)

ABSTRACT

The central problem to this study is that despite the governments’ increased funding to

education and its commitment to use education as the spring board to attain vision 2030, there

is still wastage in the education system. Wastage rates have not been adequately investigated

especially in the newly created districts. The purpose of this study was to determine the 2005,

2006 and 2007 cohort wastage rates of secondary schools in Kathonzweni District. The

objectives of the study were to determine repetition rates and drop-out rates for the 2005 –

2007 cohorts in secondary schools of Kathonzweni District by gender and also to suggest

policy recommendations on drop out and repetition rates to education policy formulators. The

present study is significant in that it may yield empirical data and information on both dropout

& repetition rates that will guide educational policy formulators to develop strategies to

mitigate educational wastage. The study will also add to a body of knowledge in the area of

educational wastage by contributing on wastage rates in Secondary Education. The literature

review covered, the concept of internal efficiency, global studies on school drop-out, school

drop-out and repetition in Kenya. The study was conducted using a descriptive survey design.

The sample size was 18 secondary Schools in the District, and since the study involved a

complete enumeration of all schools in the District, it was a census inquiry. Data was

collected from the DEO’s office using a proforma. Quantitative data was analysed using the

statistical package for social sciences. Findings indicated that cohort wastage rates were

decreasing, from a high of 44% in the 2006 cohort to 19% in the 2007 cohort. The study

recommended an introduction of affirmative action in the disbursement of free learning

money in the ASAL region, involvement of the provincial administration to deal with parent

who absent their children from school, introduction of lift-hour session to help the

academically weak students cope with the rest, strengthening of guidance & counseling

departments to enhance survival rates and the introduction of boarding facilities so as to reduce negative external influence to the students.