SCHOOL AND PUPILS BASED FACTORS INFLUENCING GIRLS’ DROPOUT RATE IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN WEST POKOT, KENYA

Girls’ child education is important in any education system. However, the retention of these girls’ pupils within the education system is a great challenge in Alale Zone. The study sought to establish school and pupil based factors leading to drop out among girls’ pupils in primary schools in Alale Zone, West Pokot County. The specific objectives of the study were to investigate the influence school-based and pupils’ personal factors on girls’ dropout rate in primary schools. Maslow theory guided the study. The study was conducted in 7 primary schools in Alale Zone, North Pokot Sub County. The research design was descriptive in nature. The target population included 7 head teachers and 82 public primary school teachers. The head teachers were selected through purposive sampling while teachers were selected through simple random sampling technique. The research relied on questionnaires and interview schedules as instruments of data collection. Both validity and reliability of research instruments will be determined. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics and presented using frequency distribution tables, pie charts and bar and column graphs. The study established that school based and pupils-based factors influenced girls’ dropout rate in the zone. Moreover, issues of teenage pregnancy, poor performance, poverty, sexual harassment and families believe and attitude contributed to increased cases of girls’ dropout in schools. The study recommends that various stakeholders; government, teachers and community at large should foster efforts aimed at promoting girls’ education in the zone. Guidance and counselling services need to be strengthened in primary schools in Alale Zone.

 

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