Publication: An assessment of user charges on learner retention In the primary education of Kaloleni Sub-County Kenya
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2014-11
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Mount Kenya University
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Abstract
All school going age children should remain in schools and exist in a relationship of mental
understanding and consultations rather than be out of school as depicted in some of the schools
especially on the side of children from poor families. The final beneficiary should be the learners
from whom the whole school programme is designed. The purpose of the study was to asses the
user charges on learner retention in the Schools of Kaloleni Sub-county Kilifi County. The
objectives of the study include, to analyze the user charges on learner retention, to establish the
influence of user charges on Learner retention, to determine the effects of user charges on learner
retention and to determine strategies that can mitigate the educational costs in the primary schools.
The research design used was descriptive research design. The research instruments used included
questionnaires and interview guides. Three types of questionnaires were used. Teachers,
Headteachers, parents questionnaires and interview guides were selected whereby in each school
random sampling was used. The reliability of the research instruments involved ascertaining that
the instruments measure what they were intended to measure by testing reliability through the use
of test –retest techniques. To eliminate weak points the content validity was discussed with the
supervisors and lecturers from the department. The target population was one hundred and sixty
one respondents. The sample size comprised of 20 Headteachers, 1 county director of education,
40 teachers and 100 parents. A mixed method research design whereby both qualitative and
quantitative research paradigms were employed. Data collected was analyzed using both
qualitative and quantitative approaches while data presentation involved the use of frequency
tables, pie charts and bar graphs. (SPSS) version 21 was used for statistical data analysis. The
results of the study revealed that there was a low retention rate due to the user charges in public
primary schools. These concerns can benefit the Government and the education stakeholders in
that it informs them of the influence of user charges on learner retention. The study also
recommended that the Government through the MOEST to increase the funding for FPE, schools
to come up with other alternative sources of funding FPE, parents to be actively involved in the
learning of their children and that the constituency Development Fund (CDF) extend its services
to the primary school children to enhance high retention levels. The study also recommended that
user fees should completely be abolished in the primary schools.
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Educational planning, Management