dc.description.abstract |
Dismal and unpredictable enrollment rates characterize today's tourism education in
Kenyan universities, partially caused by overemphasis on science-related careers by
education stakeholders, including the government. This has seen reduced tourism
graduates and inadequate understanding of why students shy away from tourism courses,
despite a clarion call by the Kenyan National Tourism Blueprint 2030 to promote
tourism education. Therefore, the present study examined determinants influencing
students’ choice to enroll in tourism education in public universities in Kenya. Specific
objectives of the study established the influence of socio-economic factors
(employment, tuition fees, parents and family background), psychological factors
(ability, skills, efficacy, and personal interests), and demographic factors (ethnic
background, religion, and gender) on students’ choice to enroll in tourism education in
selected public universities in Kenya. The study was anchored on a human capital theory
supported by status attainment theory and social cognitive career theory. The study
focused on 12 public universities and targeted 719 undergraduate tourism students and
12 heads of departments (HODs). The study adopted a pragmatist paradigm and used an
explanatory-descriptive survey design. A study sample encompassed 204 respondents:
192 students and 12 HODs. Multiple sampling techniques were adopted; the purposive
sampling technique was used to select public universities offering tourism degrees and
HODs, while simple random sampling was used to sample first-year students. Data was
collected using quantitative (semi-structured questionnaires for the students) and
qualitative (semi-structured interviews for the HODs) methods. Data analysis followed
the structural equation model (SEM) to establish the relationships between the study
variables of the hypothetical model. Model fit indices of the SEM revealed that the
model was appropriate (χ2/df = 3.654; IFI = 0.985; TLI = 0.943; CFI = 0.976; RMSEA
= 0.0541). The findings indicated that the three latent variables; demographic factors,
psychological factors, and socioeconomic factors combined, accounted for 82% (R²
=.82) variability of the student's decision to enroll. Further, at a confidence level of 95%
(p<0.05), the correlation analysis coefficient path values showed that psychological
factors (β =1.742; t=9.107; p=0.027) and demographic factors (β= 1.433; t=9.111;
p=0.042) had a stronger positive statistically significant influence on student's
enrollment decision than socioeconomic factors (β= 0.872; t=9.176; p=0.031). The
findings rejected the three null hypotheses; thus, alternatives were accepted;
socioeconomic factors, psychological factors, and demographic factors influence
students' choice to enroll in tourism education. Qualitative findings identified poverty
levels, counsellor career guidance, marketability of the course, prior linguistic skills
(German and Dutch languages) and computer studies as thematic determinants of
enrollment trends. The study concluded that for public universities to attract more
students to enroll in tourism programs, they must clearly understand and prioritize the
proponents of psychological and demographic factors while marketing tourism
programs. Further, continual support for needy families through bursaries will go a long
way to support a sizeable number of students joining universities to pursue tourism
education. The study has theoretical and practical value and recommends that
stakeholders in public universities must be willing to facilitate students’ transition from
high school to university and support rigorous tourism programs’ awareness in
prospectus candidates. The study recommends future studies to incorporate private
universities and mid-level colleges offering tourism programs while assessing other
factors determining enrollment decisions like the reputation of a university and
government policies that might mediate the direct relationship, using longitudinal and
in-depth approaches. |
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