DETERMINANTS OF ENROLMENT IN HOME SCIENCE SUBJECT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KENYA: A CASE OF ELGEYO MARAKWET COUNTY

Abstract

This study sought to establish the determinants of enrolment in Home Science subject in secondary schools in Elgeyo Marakwet County. Home Science as a subject facilitates acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes meant to improve lives of everyone yet very few students choose to pursue it in secondary schools. This study was guided by the following objectives: To investigate how school policies on subject selection influence enrolment of Home Science subject in secondary schools, to determine how availability of teaching resources affects enrolment level of Home Science subject in secondary schools, to identify how teacher qualification affects students’ enrolment in Home Science subject, to establish how students’ attitude towards Home Science subject affects enrolment in Home Science in secondary schools and to examine how available career opportunities influence enrolment of Home Science subject in secondary schools. The descriptive survey design was adopted. Purposive sampling technique was used to select all the six (6) county secondary schools offering Home Science subject, one hundred and sixteen (116) form four students who studied Home Science subject and snowball sampling technique was used to select fifty (50) form four students who dropped Home Science subject. Six (6) Home Science teachers were also purposively selected together with the six (6) Principals of the sampled schools. This study had a sample of one hundred and seventy-eight (178) respondents. Data was collected by use of questionnaires, interview schedules and observation checklist. Data was analyzed descriptively by use of SPSS (Version 23) using frequencies, percentages and means. Findings are presented in tables and pie charts. The results revealed that some schools had streaming practices with a class being set aside specifically for Home Science subject thus limiting the number of students choosing the subject; the findings further revealed that half (50%) of the schools were not adequately equipped thus low enrolment. On the contrary few (33%) schools that were equipped had a slightly higher enrolment, respondents had a positive attitude towards Home Science subject thus it didn’t influence enrolment, and that students were guided on career opportunities by teachers thus careers didn’t influence enrolment. The study recommends that; students’ positive attitude should be reinforced; Home Science related professionals should market the subject through career talks and curriculum planners to review the curriculum for the sake of re-introducing the subject at primary level. These interventions are likely to increase student enrollment in Home Science Subject in secondary schools.