Influence of institutional management practices on girls’ participation in public secondary schools in Ganze sub-county, Kilifi county, Kenya

Abstract

Education is a fundamental human right in personal and national development. It equips individuals with knowledge, skills and a positive mindset, fostering economic productivity, good governance and emotional and moral growth. The study aimed at investigating the influence of institutional management practices on girls’ participation in public secondary schools in Ganze Sub-County, Kilifi County, Kenya. It explored four critical dimensions: the availability of support services, school readmission frameworks, parental involvement and access to guidance and counselling services. By examining into these factors, the research sought to provide insights into the intricacies surrounding girl-child participation in secondary education and to contribute to the development of more informed policies and practical interventions. The research opted for use of mixed methodology while design adopted was an ex-post facto approach to explore the relationships between various independent variables and girls' participation in secondary education. It focused on public secondary schools within Ganze Sub-County, Kilifi County and the study target population included 18 principals, 18 guidance and counselling teachers,100 class teachers, 1500 parents and 2000 girls. However, by use of Slovin’s formula, a sample of 2 principals, 2 guidance and counselling teachers, 44 teachers, 191 girls and 127 form four parents hence a total of 366 participants obtained. Purposive and systematic random sampling procedures ensured comprehensive representation of research target population. A well-designed set of research instruments that is; questionnaires for teachers and girls, focus group guide for parents and interview schedules for principals as well guidance and counselling teachers. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed in data collection and analysis. Results of the study aimed at creating opportunities for school administrators and teachers to tailor strategies and practices to support female students better, thus enhancing the overall educational experience. Additionally, it offers the chance for parents to learn how to support their daughters' education actively and it allows NGOs dedicated to gender equality to align their efforts more effectively. Identifying areas for improvement in institutional management practices as the primary goal of the study. By doing so, it strives to catalyze targeted interventions to increase girl-child participation in secondary education, fostering a more equitable and inclusive educational landscape in Kenya. Despite potential limitations such as respondent bias, resource constraints, and constraints in generalizability beyond Ganze Sub-County, the study held the potential to shed light on the crucial factors influencing girls’ participation. It contributed to the overarching objective of achieving gender equality in Kenyan secondary education, setting the stage for a brighter future for female students. However, findings indicated that support services such as financial assistance and provision of sanitary towels crucial for girls’ participation in secondary schools. In addition, despite of readmission policy on teenage mothers’ readmissions are still low but parental involvement during readmission of teenage mothers back to school is a critical issue of concern. Also, it was established that teachers handling guidance and counselling lack professional training in the field therefore recommendations made for Teachers Service Commission to train teachers on guidance and counselling.