An Assesment of Dropout Rates of Pupils in Public Primary Schools in Kubo Division of Kwale County, Kenya

Abstract

Dropout in schools is a common challenge in the entire world. In the developing countries, the challenge seems to be more severe compared to the developed ones. In Kwale County, dropout rates have not been clearly established. The purpose of the study was to determine dropout rates, in public primary schools in Kubo division. The study was quantitative in nature and employed an ex post facto research design. The study population was 12,245 pupils. Saturated sampling technique was used to select the whole population to make the sample of the study. Questionnaires were used to collect data. To ensure that the instruments were reliable, a pilot study was conducted. Quantitative data from questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics in form of means and percentages. The study established that, average dropout rate of 10.33% between class seven and eight was the lowest. Average dropout rate was highest between class six and seven with a rate of 22.16%. Generally the rates tended to increase from class one to six after which they dropped sharply. Recommendation in light of the study was that school authorities should investigate further the specific factors that contribute to the increasing trend in school dropout between classes one and six and more specifically between classes six and seven. The study will enable educational administrators to assign accurate measures to facilitate the reduction of dropout rate in public primary school in Kubo division and to some extent the entire Kwale County.

Keywords: Assessment, Dropout Rate, Kubo Division