Beyond school inputs and resources: an assessment of the effects of subsidies on educational outputs in Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of government subsidy on the key determinants of educational attainment; transition, enrolment, retention and quality. The specific objectives of the study are; to present statistical outlay of public subsidies in the education sector in terms of levels and target areas, evaluate educational attainment indices in relation to public subsidies and lastly, to determine strategies of enhancing educational attainment in view of public subsidies. The study adopted a mixed method design. The target population included education officials and principals of high schools. The study sample was 270 school principals out of a population of 493.The respondents were selected using purposive, and simple random sampling technique and the instruments for data collection were questionnaires and interview schedule. The reliability of the instruments was tested through a pilot study in the greater Baringo district of central-rift that is classified as both ASAL and non-ASAL. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (for measures of central tendencies and frequencies) and inferential statistics (using t-test and ANOVA models to establish causation and variable traits). The findings of this study revealed that there is a statistically significant relationship between the public subsidy and all educational indices in all the counties except the ASAL Turkana county where the impact was least felt. It was also found that the subsidy improved school supplies in all the counties. The study findings revealed that irrespective of the geographical location of schools, subsidies have a positive and significant effect on the indicators of educational attainments. The study therefore amplifies the need for the government to streamline the public subsidization policy in view of expectations of sessional paper no 1 of 2005, vision 2030, and the global imperatives namely MDGs and EFA goals.