Guidance and Counseling Services and Girls’ Participation in Public Secondary School in Wajir East Sub County Kenya

Abstract

This study examined the effect of provision of guidance and counseling services on girls' participation in public secondary schools in Wajir East Sub-County, Kenya. The study was grounded on Theory of student participation. Employing a quantitative research design, the study collected numerical data that were statistically analyzed. The target respondents were school management staff, including principals, teachers, and administrators, from 14 mixed secondary schools in Wajir East Sub-County, totaling 210 respondents. The sample size was 137 respondents, selected through a stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire interview guide comprising closed-ended questions administered face-to-face. The analysis involved descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, percentages, and mean scores, as well as inferential statistics such as regression analysis, to establish the relationship between guidance and counseling services and girls' participation in public secondary schools. Findings revealed strong support for guidance and counseling services with respondents acknowledging their positive effects on enrollment, retention, and academic performance of female students