Determination of Factors which Influence Enrollment in Building Construction Craft Courses: A Study of Selected Technical Training Institutions in Western Kenya Region.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting technical education in the technical training institutes and find out their subsequent influence on enrolment in the Building Construction Craft Courses (BCCC). The type of enrolment in BCCC in the technical training institutes was examined and the factors. which contribute to the type of enrolment. were determined. The building construction industry is one of the labour intensive industries that require well—trained personnel. Technical training institutes offer training opportunities for some members of the building team. A sample technical] training institutes from the Western Kenya region was used in this research. From the institutes. a sample of students from various departments was used as research participants. A sample from the Lecturers and members of the public was used for the triangulation process. The number of students taking craft courses in various departments was compared. The enrolment in craft and diploma Building construction courses was also compared. Questionnaires to various participants. oral interviews, and physical observations were used to collect data. Proportional analysis technique and statistical chi-square test were used to analyse the data. It was found out that the enrolments in Masonry. Plumbing and Carpentry and joinery were quite low as compared to other craft courses. There were also more students in diploma in Building construction as compared to craft courses. High costs of training. lack of employment after training. on-job-training and poor advertisement were found to be factors contributing to this low enrolment. Poor administration. obsolete curriculum and lack of sufficient physical facilities also contributed to low enrolment. Subsidizing of cost of training. creating more employment opportunities. change of course titles and increased publicity of the courses are some of there commendations made to improve the enrolment in the Building construction craft courses. For the Technical Training Institutes. it is recommended that all of them should fall in one ministry. The technical training institutes should have sufficient and modern physical facilities. Further research can be done to find out whether it is possible to merge the institutes and promote specialization where some can offer only technical courses while others to offer other courses so that enrolment can be improved and the limited resources put together for better use. Also research can be done to find out the performance of institutions such as youth polytechnics and secondary schools. which feed the technical institutes with students.