Influence of School Administrative Practices on Pupils’ School Drop-Out: Public Primary School Adminstrators ’Perspectives in Muhoroni Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

In Kenya the cumulative dropout rate in primary education have been as high as 37 percent between standards 1 and 7. The survival rate at primary level has been low at 40 percent. However in Muhoroni Sub-County the high enrolment rate was short lived. The purpose of this study was to find out the influence of school administrative practices on pupils’ school dropout in public primary schools in Muhoroni Sub-County. The specific objectives were: to establish the levels of school administrative practices; to determine the pupils’ school dropout rate; and to establish the extent to which school administrative practices contributed to pupils’ school dropout.The results established the level of practice of the school administrative practices in the sub-county at 40.2% (mean = 2.352, SD = 0.815). The overall pupils’ school drop-out was determined at 22.7% (grade 1 = 30.4%, grade 2 = 24.2%, grade 3 = 19.7%, grade 4 = 16.9%, grade 5 = 16.3%, grade 6 = 15.8%). The school drop-out peaked both at the commencement (27.3%) and the end (28.3%) of academic years. School administrative practices predicted school drop-out at 24.2% (ANOVA results:F (65)=1.274 P <0.05) and correlated it at r= -0.124 p <0.05. Content validity of the questionnaires was assessed by experts while reliability through internal consistency (α = 0.822). Data was analysed using frequencies, percentages, multiple regressions and Pearson’s moment correlation and presented using figures, tables, bar graphs, line graphs and normal Q-Q plots.In conclusion, school administrative practices formed reliable predictors and correlates of school drop-out rates. It was recommended that school drop-out rates should be studied not only on the administrative practices basis, but also by considering non-administrative factors.