School-related strategies for enhancing girls’ participation in education in public primary schools in Kajiado West sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

Girls’ education has become a major concern in most developing countries in the world. Despite several strategies and measures that have been put in place by countries to enhance girls’ education, their participation is still low. The purpose of this study was to explore the teachers’ and girls’ perceptions of the school-related strategies for enhancing girls’ participation in education in public primary schools in Kajiado West Sub-County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were: to explore teachers’ and girls’ perceptions of sanitary facilities; to explore teachers’ and girls’ perceptions of the feeding programme; and to explore teachers’ and girls’ perceptions of guidance and counseling as school-related strategies for enhancing girls’ participation in education in public primary schools in Kajiado West Sub-County. The study was guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory. This was a qualitative research study that was positioned in the interpretivist paradigm. The study adopted a multiple case study research design. Two public primary schools with the lowest participation of girls’ in education in Kajiado West Sub-County were selected purposively as cases of the study. The target population of the study was 44 teachers and 660 girls from the selected schools. Purposive sampling was used to select 2 head teachers, 6 teachers, and 24 girls as the participants of the study. Data was generated through focus group discussions and semi-structured individual interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data that was generated in the study. The findings revealed that the teachers’ and girls’ perceptions regarding sanitary facilities were that the sanitary resources were inadequate at school, there was an inconsistent supply of consumable sanitary resources, the quality and relevant education on menstruation management was insufficient, a disengaged relationship existed and that gender stereotyping was a major issue that affected the enhancement of girls’ participation in education. In terms of the feeding programme, they highlighted inadequate resources, irregular supply of food by the government, sub-standard quality of meals, a lack of good collaboration between the school and the parents and a poor school-community relationship as barriers to effective implementation of feeding programme. Regarding the guidance and counselling offered, they indicated that insufficient guidance and counselling resources, social cultural beliefs, inadequate training for teacher counsellors, parents’ and girls’ negative attitudes towards guidance and counselling and an unfulfilling relationship between the teachers and the girls were major challenges hindering guidance and counselling services in enhancing girls’ participation in education. The findings speak to the systems and the role players in the systems needing not only to work together, but to be committed to valuing the education of girls and making the schooling experience for girls one that is inclusive, enabling and relevant. This study recommended that all stake holders in girls’ education should be fully involved and in communication with each other to achieve the goal of improving girls’ participation in education. The Ministry of Education should strengthen its plans, implement them consistently in all counties and regularly monitor whether the school-related strategies for enhancing girls’ participation in education are achieving its goals. It should also pay attention to the teachers’ and girls’ voices to ensure that the school-related strategies are in line with the girls’ needs to be able to stay in schools.