Factors Affecting Female Learner’s Enrolment in Technical Courses, At Karumo Technical Training Institute,Meru- Kenya

Abstract

Technical courses offers hands-on experience to foster a wide array of self-employability skills among the beneficiaries. However, for a long time the enrolment to technical courses is characterised by low female student enrolment than that of their male counterparts. This study sought to investigate the factors affecting female learners’ enrolment in technical courses. The specific objectives in this study were; to determine the effect of financial factors, to establish the effect of cultural factors, to examine the effect of sociological factors, and to assess the effect of role models on female learners’ enrolment choices in technical courses. The study adopted a mixed study research design and a sample size of 107. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used as data collection instruments. The data was managed and analysed using SPSS. The study found that 77% of the respondents agreed that financial factors affected female enrolment in technical courses. Other factors that affected the enrolment of female students in technical courses included 77% cultural factors , 85% role models and 79% Sociological factors.The government should increase funding for women's education in technical courses and efforts to fight against retrogressive cultural practices such as FGM and early marriages.