Influence Of Form One Selection Criteria On Private Sector Participation In Education Provision; A Case Of Elgeyo-Marakwet County

Abstract

It is emerging that a growing number of parents have misgivings about the selection model enforced by the Ministry of Education. The ipurpose iof ithis istudy iwas ito ianalyze ithe iinfluence iof iform ione iselection icriteria ion iprivate isector iparticipation iin ieducation iprovision iin iElgeyo-Marakwet iCounty. The objectives were; to assess the influence of merit selection criteria, to find out the influences of quota selection criteria, to look into the influences of affirmative action selection criteria, and to determine the influence of student choice selection iicriteria iion iiprivate iisector iiparticipation iiin iithe iiprovision iiof iiquality iieducation iiin iiElgeyo-Marakwet iiCounty. iiThe iistudy iiwas iicarried iiout iiin iiprivate iiprimary iischools iiand iipublic iisecondary iischools iiwithin iiElgeyo-Marakwet iiCounty, iiKenya, iibetween iiJune ii2017 iiand iiMay ii2018. iiThis iistudy iiused iia iidescriptive iisurvey iidesign. iiSpecifically, iithe iistudy iitargeted iisecondary iischool iiprincipals, iideputy iiprincipals, iisenior iiteachers, iiand iiprivate iiprimary iischools' iiheadteachers. iiThis iirepresented ii121 iisecondary iischool iiprincipals, ii121 iideputy iiprincipals,121 iisenior iiteachers, iiand ii62 iiheadteachers iiof iiprivate iiprimary iischools, iiin iiElgeyo-Marakwet iiCounty. The sample in the study was generated using both probability and non-probability sampling approaches. The researcher sampled 36 secondary school principals (public), 19 Headteachers of private schools, 36 deputies, and 36 senior secondary school teachers from public schools, adding up to 127 respondents. This study used questionnaires and interview schedules as instruments for data collection. The pilot study used 4 secondary public schools in Uasin Gishu County. The study used Cronbach's alpha coefficient to establish reliability of instruments. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Analyzed data were presented using tables and charts. Qualitative data from the interview schedule was analyzed using thematic method. The study findings showed that majority of the respondent 65(60%) agreed that the use of merit-based form one selection criteria is most preferred by private sectors. The finding shows that majority of the respondent 57(53%) agreed that the use of quota selection criteria enable private sector improve academic achievement. The use of student’s choice as a selection criterion enable pupils to join schools of their choice, hence improve on student’s enrolment to secondary schools. On affirmative action the study established that the form one selection criteria do not discriminate on the private child since majority of the pupils from private schools join good secondary schools. The study concluded that, use of merit based in form selection has enabled the private sector invest human resources in education and that the use of merit based in form selection has enabled the private sector improve access to education by allowing many pupils to join national schools. In conclusion this istudy ifound iout ithat imerit ias icriteria iof iform ione iselection ihas ienabled iprivate ischools ipost imajority iof itheir ipupils ito inational iand iextra icounty ischools. This is noted where pupils who scored highest marks in K.C.P.E were from private primary schools in the four years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. The study recommended that the government should ensure equality in education in all categories of secondary schools so that all students access quality education in a given school. The study recommended that candidates be given a detailed induction and guidance during the choosing of schools in the registering process. This should involve parents' teachers and students. The study finally recommended that a common formula be iused ito idetermine ithe inumber iof icandidates ifrom iboth ipublic iand iprivate ischools iwho iwill ibe iplaced iin inational ischools. iThe istudy isuggested ithat ifurther istudies ibe idone ion iinfluence iof iform ione iselection icriteria ion iprivate isector iparticipation iin ieducation iprovision iin iother icounties. iAlso, ithe isame istudy ibe idone ion ipublic isector ito iallow ifor icomparisons.