Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.

org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper ISSN 2222-2!!" (#nline
$ol.%& No.25& 2'13

17!
An Assesment of Dropout Rates of Pupils in Public Primary
Schools in Kubo Division of Kwale County, Kenya
Joel (wan)a N*ae
1
Sa+uel ,io-o
1
.ose+ar* /airi+u (at0enge
1
1r. .ut0 20inguri
2
1. Sc0ool of Education (ount ,en*a 3ni4ersit*& P. #. 5o6 3%2&'1'' 20i-a & ,en*a
2. Sc0ool of Education& 7urriculu+ and Instruction (ount ,en*a 3ni4ersit*. P.# 5o6 3%2& '1'' 20i-a& ,en*a
E-+ail of 7orresponding 8ut0or9 :oeln*ae;*a0oo.co+
20e researc0 is financed <* t0e 8ut0ors

Abstract
1ropout in sc0ools is a co++on c0allenge in t0e entire world. In t0e de4eloping countries& t0e c0allenge see+s
to <e +ore se4ere co+pared to t0e de4eloped ones. In ,wale 7ount*& dropout rates 0a4e not <een clearl*
esta<lis0ed. 20e purpose of t0e stud* was to deter+ine dropout rates& in pu<lic pri+ar* sc0ools in ,u<o di4ision.
20e stud* was =uantitati4e in nature and e+plo*ed an e6 post facto researc0 design. 20e stud* population was
12&2%5 pupils. Saturated sa+pling tec0ni=ue was used to select t0e w0ole population to +a-e t0e sa+ple of t0e
stud*. >uestionnaires were used to collect data. 2o ensure t0at t0e instru+ents were relia<le& a pilot stud* was
conducted. >uantitati4e data fro+ =uestionnaire was anal*sed using descripti4e statistics in for+ of +eans and
percentages. 20e stud* esta<lis0ed t0at& a4erage dropout rate of 1'.33? <etween class se4en and eig0t was t0e
lowest. 84erage dropout rate was 0ig0est <etween class si6 and se4en wit0 a rate of 22.1@?. Aenerall* t0e rates
tended to increase fro+ class one to si6 after w0ic0 t0e* dropped s0arpl*. .eco++endation in lig0t of t0e stud*
was t0at sc0ool aut0orities s0ould in4estigate furt0er t0e specific factors t0at contri<ute to t0e increasing trend in
sc0ool dropout <etween classes one and si6 and +ore specificall* <etween classes si6 and se4en. 20e stud* will
ena<le educational ad+inistrators to assign accurate +easures to facilitate t0e reduction of dropout rate in pu<lic
pri+ar* sc0ool in ,u<o di4ision and to so+e e6tent t0e entire ,wale 7ount*.
Keywords9 8ssess+ent& 1ropout .ate& ,u<o 1i4ision

1. ntroduction
Education is t0e foundation of success at t0e indi4idual le4el and t0e <asis national prosperit*. ,en*a needs an
educated wor- force to e6ploit and full* utili)e t0e countr*Bs econo+ic potential.
20e principal institutional +ec0anis+ for de4eloping 0u+an capital is t0e for+al education s*ste+ of pri+ar*&
secondar* and tertiar* training (Aa* 1C!7. 20e role of education t0erefore& is not :ust to i+pact -nowledge and
s-ills t0at ena<le <eneficiaries to function as econo+ies and social c0ange agents in societ*& <ut also to i+pact
4alues& ideas& attitudes and aspirations i+portant for natural de4elop+ent. Since education is an in4est+ent&
t0ere is a significant positi4e correlation <etween education and social - econo+ic producti4it*. /0en people are
educated t0eir standards of li4ing are li-el* to i+pro4e.
20e ,en*an go4ern+ent ca+e up wit0 t0e tuition free secondar* education polic* in 2''! after t0e free pri+ar*
education in 2''3. 20is was to +eet t0e rising de+and and increasing access to secondar* sc0ools and <e*ond.
20e goal is not onl* to increase e=uita<le access& <ut also i+pro4e on t0e =ualit* of t0e education offered.
Dowe4er& <esides t0e positi4e gains +ade wit0 t0e introduction of free pri+ar* education polic* suc0 as
increased enrol+ent& t0e sector is still facing c0allenges of sc0ool dropouts.
20e c0allenge of dropout is a co++on one in t0e entire world. In t0e de4eloping countries& t0e c0allenge see+s
to <e +ore se4ere co+pared to t0e de4eloped countries.
2a<le 1.1 gi4es a detailed description of dropout trends in t0e world generall*& de4eloped countries& less
de4eloped countries and t0e Su<-Sa0aran 8frica.
2a<le1. 1ropout rates <* grade in pri+ar* education in percentage for t0e sc0ool *ear ending 2''!
Re!ion "rade 1 "rade # "rade $ "rade % "rade &
All
"rades

/orld 2.1 1.2 1.2 1.@ 1.1 !?
1e4eloped countries '.@ '.3 '.2 '.1 ' 2?
Eess 1e4eloped
countries %.3 2 3.2 2.! 2.5 22?
Su<- Sa0aran
8frica 1'.% %.5 @.2 @.@ @.% 37?
Source9 3NES7# Institute for Statistics data<ase (3IS& 2'1'
2a<le 1 s0ow t0at& t0e worldBs grade dropout rate for all grades is ! percent. Arade fi4e 0as t0e lowest grade
dropout rate of 1.1 percent. Arade one 0as t0e 0ig0est rate of 2.1 percent. Arade dropout rate for all grades in
de4eloped countries is 2 percent. 20e rates tend to decline fro+ '.@ percent in grade one to )ero percent in grade
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper ISSN 2222-2!!" (#nline
$ol.%& No.25& 2'13

17C
fi4e. In t0e less de4eloped countries& t0e grade dropout rate for all grades is 22 percent. Dig0est rate of %.3
percent is in grade one w0ile grade two 0as a rate of 2 percent w0ic0 is t0e lowest. Su<-Sa0aran 8frica 0as t0e
0ig0est grade dropout rate. 20e rate for all grades is 37?. Arade one 0as t0e 0ig0est rate of 1'.%? w0ile a rate of
%.5 percent in grade two is t0e lowest.
8ccording to t0e 1istrict Education #fficer ,wale& grade dropout rates wit0 regard to pri+ar* education 0a4e
not <een clearl* esta<lis0ed. 20e a<sence of data in ,wale 7ount* on grade dropout rate wit0 regard to pri+ar*
education necessitated an e6a+ination of t0ese rates t0roug0 a stud*.
20e purpose of t0e stud* was to t0erefore to e6a+ine grade dropout rates in pu<lic pri+ar* sc0ools in ,u<o
di4ision of ,wale 7ount* in ,en*a. 20e specific o<:ecti4e of t0e stud* was to esta<lis0 pupil dropout rates in
pu<lic pri+ar* sc0ools for t0e period <etween 2''3 and 2'1' in ,u<o di4ision.

#. Research 'ethodolo!y
20e stud* was =uantitati4e in nature and used an e6 post facto researc0 design. In e6 post facto researc0 design&
t0e researc0er 0as no direct control o4er t0e independent 4aria<les since t0eir +anifestation 0a4e alread*
occurred (,erlinger& 1C73. 20e stud* population co+prised 122%5 pupils. Saturated sa+pling tec0ni=ue was
used to select t0e w0ole population to +a-e t0e sa+ple for t0e stud*. >uestionnaires were used to collect data.
2o ensure t0at t0e instru+ents were relia<le& a pilot stud* was conducted.

>uantitati4e data fro+ =uestionnaire was anal*sed using descripti4e statistics in for+ of +eans and percentages.
20e +et0od t0at was used to anal*se dropout rate was t0at de4eloped <* 3NES7# (1C72 a as follows9
Dropout Rate
( ) [ ]
k
t
k
t
k
t
k
t
k
t
N
R R N N
GDR
1
1
2
1
1 +
+
+
+
+
+
=


/0ere9
N F 2otal Enrol+ent
- F Sa+e Arade
t F 7urrent Gear
- H1 F Su<se=uent Arade
t H 1 F Su<se=uent Gear
. F Nu+<er .epeaters
A1. F Arade 1ropout .ate
R
k
t 1 +
- Nu+<er of repeaters in t0e following *ear (tH1 and wit0in
t0e sa+e grade (-
N
k
t
- Enrol+ent in t0e pre4ious *ear (t and wit0in t0e sa+e grade (-

$. Results and Discussion
20e researc0 =uestion t0e stud* soug0t to answer was I/0at are t0e pupilsB dropout rates in pu<lic pri+ar*
sc0ools for t0e period <etween 2''3 and 2'1' in ,u<o 1i4isionJ 20e rates were calculated fro+ t0e enrol+ent
data s0own in 2a<le 2 and presented as 2a<le 3.

Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
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$ol.%& No.25& 2'13

1!'
2a<le 29 1ata on Enrol+ent (N and .epetition (. in Pu<lic Pri+ar* Sc0ools in ,u<o 1i4ision for t0e period
<etween 2''3 and 2'1'
(ear )*R Class 1 Class # Class $ Class % Class & Class + Class , Class -
2''3 N 2573 25!3 2@'@ 2@17 2@%C 2@!C 2%37 27'1
. %C' 3C! 5'@ %%% 512 52% 557 %@C
2''% N 2%'5 223@ 21C3 21!% 213@ 2157 21'7 2222
. 2C5 3'! 33% 323 2C3 333 37@ %7'
2''5 N 2%@% 2'!! 1C'C 1!23 17C2 17!3 1711 1C37
. 231 22@ 23C 2%7 2@% 3'5 373 %73
2''@ N 23CC 21@C 1715 1@3! 1513 1513 1%13 15@7
. 25@ 2!% 2!7 3'' 31' 31' %12 %7C
2''7 N 2571 212C 1C15 151C 1373 127C 11!7 1337
. 272 25' 271 25C 2!2 331 3!7 %@2
2''! N 2%71 2277 1!37 1@@1 1277 11%' 1'75 111!
. 2!3 273 27@ 2!7 2C@ 31C 3@7 %13
2''C N 2%'2 2175 1C@C 15!! 13@5 1'!7 C5@ 1''2
. 25! 2!% 2!2 271 232 2%5 2%! 2C%
2'1' N 23!C 2'15 1C'1 1@%C 1325 1155 !7' C%1
. 2@2 2%' 213 2'3 1!2 2'3 2'7 22'

Kro+ 2a<le 2& Arade 1ropout .ates (A1P were calculated as illustrated <elow9
./ample 10
Arade dropout rate <etween class two and t0ree in 2''@
( ) [ ]
2'!!
2!% 2!7 1715 2'!! + +
= GDR

[ ]
2'!!
2!% 1%2! 2'!! +
= GDR

2'!!
171@ 2'!!
= GDR

1!'1 . '
2'!!
37@
= = GDR

./ample #0
/eig0ted 84erage 1ropout .ate (/.8.1.. for <etween 7lass t0ree and four9
/.8.1..F
Sum o oll ropout Rotcs or oll tc cors bctwccn two concccti:c gi:c 0roJc
Iotol numbcr o cors Portoining to tc 0roJcs


W. A. B. R. =
( 0.1577 + 0.1724 + 0.1488 + 0.1073 + 0.1384 + 0.1296 + 0.1574 )
7


W. A. B. R. =
1.0115
7
F '.1%%5

20e procedures were repeated for t0e ot0er grades and *ears and t0e results presented as s0own in 2a<le 3
2a<le 39 1ropout .ates of Pupils in Pu<lic Pri+ar* Sc0ools in ,u<o 1i4ision for t0e period <etween 2''3 and
2'1'
(ear 11# #1$ $1% %1& &1+ +1, ,1-
2''% '.13@ '.1@1 '.157 '.172 '.2'' '.232 '.12@
2''5 '.12C '.152 '.172 '.1!7 '.1!% '.23! '.12!
2''@ '.131 '.1!' '.1%C '.17@ '.15@ '.2@5 '.123
2''7 '.1'3 '.127 '.1'7 '.17@ '.1!7 '.251 '.1'!
2''! '.111 '.C13 '.13! '.1@5 '.1! '.1C7 '.'C7
2''C '.13' '.13% '.13' '.155 '.15C '.1@% '.111
2'1' '.152 '.11% '.157 '.152 '.1@C2 '.2'33 '.'2C3
/.8.1.. '.127@ '.1%3! '.1%%5 '.1@C '.1775 '.221@ '.1'33
Kro+ 2a<le 3& it was o<ser4ed& a4erage dropout rates graduall* increased fro+ class one to class se4en& t0at is&
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper ISSN 2222-2!!" (#nline
$ol.%& No.25& 2'13

1!1
fro+ 12.7@ ? to 22.1@? respecti4el*. 20e dropout rate for <etween classes se4en and eig0t of 1'.33? was
lowest. 20e 0ig0est rate of 22.1@? was <etween classes si6 and se4en.

%. Conclusion and Recommendation
1ropout rates graduall* increased fro+ classes one to si6. Dowe4er& dropout rates tended to reduce in classes
se4en and eig0t. In t0e lig0t of t0e findings of t0e stud*& it was reco++ended t0at& t0e 8rea Education #fficer&
pri+ar* sc0ool ad+inistrators in ,u<o di4ision and ot0er rele4ant sta-e0olders s0ould deal wit0 t0e issues of
0ig0 rates of dropout <etween class si6 and se4en and t0at sc0ool aut0orities s0ould in4estigate furt0er t0e
specific factors t0at contri<ute to t0e increasing trend in dropout of pupils in pu<lic pri+ar* sc0ools. 20e stud*
will ena<le educational ad+inistrators to assign accurate +easures to facilitate t0e reduction of dropout rates in
pu<lic pri+ar* sc0ool in ,u<o di4ision and generall* t0e entire ,wale 7ount*.


References
Aa* E.. (1C!7 Educational .esearc09 7o+petencies for 8nal*sis and 8pplication. Eondon (errill Pu<lis0ing
7o+pan*.
,erlinger& K.N. (1C73. Foundations of Behavioral Research 2
nd
Edition. New Gor-9 Dolt& .ine0art L /inston
Inc.
3NES7#& (1C72 a. 8 statistical Stud* of /astage at sc0ools. Paris9 3NES7#. Paris9 3NES7#
3NES7#& (2'1'. EFA Alo<al (onitoring .eport 2'1' M Education for 8ll. Paris9 3NES7#.




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