Family Background and Its Effect on Pupils’ Transition Rate from Primary to Secondary Schools in Soin/Sigowet Sub - County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of pupils’ family backgrounds on their transition rates from public primary schools to secondary schools in Kenya’s Soin/Sigowet Sub - County. The study adopted mixed methods approach and the research design employed was descriptive survey. It targeted a population of 76 head teachers and 715 teachers from which a sample of 63 he ad teachers and 250 teachers was used . Cluster ed random sampling was used to obtain the 63 schools from their zones, simple random sampling to select teachers and purposive sampling on head teachers. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from teachers and interview schedule from head teachers. The two instruments were validated, piloted and a reliable 0.75 Cronbach’s coefficient alpha app lied . Quantitative data was analysed and presented in frequencies and percentages, while qualitative data was described alongside the quantitative data. The key finding s of this study were : educate d parents provided moral and material support to their chi ldren, occupation of parents determined their financial ability to educate their children and parental involvement played a crucial role in the performance and progress of their children in education. The study revealed that family chall enges which included homelessness , hunger, domestic violence and drug abuse affected the transition of pupils from public primary to secondary schools. The study recommended that education stakeholders in the S ub - C ounty should sensitize paren ts on the importance of ensuring children proceed from one level of education to another. On further research , the study recommended that the research needed to be replicated in other parts of the country by varying its approach.