Abstract:
Kenya still lags behind other countries in terms of provision of education to all
children and especially girls. The levels of access are lowest for girls at the
University level and other tertiary institutions. At the primary school level, the
enrollment figures for girls may be comparable to those for boys but as one goes
up the education ladder, the proportion of girls drops rapidly .The girls also tend
to drop out more and in greater numbers due to myriad of factors. Thus, th is study
set out to investigate primary school teachers' attitude towards girl-child access
and equity in provision of education, in Eldoret Municipality of Uasin Gishu
County, Kenya. The teacher plays a pivotal role in any education set up and so the
researcher carried out the study with the main aim of finding out the teachers'
attitude towards the girl-child access and equity in provision of education. The
study targeted both male and female Teachers. The sample was drawn from
different schools, public and private and the main instrument of data collection
was a questionnaire. The sample comprised of 200 teachers: 100 males and 100
females from public and private schools. The following objectives guided the
researcher in the study: To investigate the influence of teacher's attitude, gender,
age, professional qualification and type of school on the teacher's attitude towards
girl-child access and equity in the provision of education. The data collected was
analyzed using inferential statistics, means, t-test and one-way ANOY A. The
mean showed that the teachers had an ambivalent attitude towards girl-child
access and equity in provision of education with a score of 68.54. The result of the
t-test analysis indicated that there was no significant difference between the
teachers' attitude on girl-child access and equity in provision of education. There
was no significant relationship between the teachers' age and their attitude
towards girl-child access and equity in provision of education. In the one-way
ANOYA, the results indicated that the teachers' professional qualification had no
significant influence on their attitude towards girl-child access and equity in
provision of education. While the results of the t-test indicated that type of school
had no significant influence on the teachers' attitude towards girl-child access and
equity in provision of education. The researcher concluded that some teachers had
ambivalent attitude towards access and equity in the provision of education for the
girl-child. Those teachers tested on age and professional qualification (Diploma)
had a positive attitude; on gender and type of school had ambivalent attitude
towards access and equity in the provision in education. In all the activities that
they carry out in the schools they are sort of confused as they did not come clearly
to state their stand. There is need to assess the hidden curriculum for the flaws that
make the girl-child to be disadvantaged. Teacher training content need to be
reviewed before being delivered to the teachers and learners to cater for the girlchild
access and equity in the provision of education because the teachers though
with higher professional qualifications uses the same content for the learners in
the different classes. There is a strong need to enhance positive attitude in teachers
to be able to influence the girl-child access and equity in the provision of education