Motivational strategies adopted by parents to promote school attendance in primary schools in Baringo county

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish how parental motivational strategies influence school attendance amongst primary school adolescent girls in Baringo County. The study adopted a survey research design using mixed methods approach and guided by Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. The study was based on the Feminist paradigm. There were 656 primary schools in Baringo County with 140,011 pupils; 67,671 girls and 72,340 boys. The study targeted head teachers, class teachers and standard seven girls in public primary schools in the county. The schools were stratified according to the sub-counties. Proportionate random sampling was used to select participating schools from each sub-county which made 66 primary schools. All the head-teachers and class teachers from the selected schools participated in this study. Simple random sampling was used to select 30% of the class seven pupils in each of the selected schools. Data was collected using questionnaire, interview schedule and document analysis. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques which include frequencies, percentages and means; and Chi-square. The hypotheses were tested at significance level of 0.05. The analysis of the qualitative data followed the path of aggregating the words or images into categories of information and presenting the diversity of ideas gathered during data collection. Data was presented using frequency tables and graphs. The motivational strategies were identified as provision of basic needs which include food, smart uniform and sanitary towels. The findings can be used by parents, teachers and policy stakeholders to strategize on how to improve attendance of girls in primary schools so that they can realize their full potential and be a resource to the community and the nation.