| dc.description.abstract | The main objective of this research was to find out the effects of school fees on equity
provision of education to students in public secondary schools in Kenya. School fee
structures approved by the ministry of education on 12th February 2010 shows that, National
schools pay an average of Ksh 62,000.00, Provincial Boarding Ksh 40,000.00, and Day
schools Ksh.12,000.00 per year yet the student needs which are addressed by school fees to
facilitate education provision are basically the same. The researcher used cross-sectional
survey research design. The independent variables were: fees charged in various categories
of secondary schools, parents’ economic background, government policy on fees, while the
dependent variables were equity provision of learning resources, provision of teachers,
student retention in schools, student educational and career aspirations. Target population
comprised of secondary school head teachers, teachers, students and parents. Sampling
techniques included: stratified sampling for school categories, simple random sampling for
students and purposive sampling for head teachers and parents. The sample comprised of:
twenty three head teachers, two hundred forty seven teachers, three thousand two hundred
and ninety one students, and forty six parents. The research instruments used were: Interview
for head teachers and parents, questionnaires for teachers and students and observation
check list for school facilities. Data was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics such as
frequencies, percentages, and means using Statistical Package For Social Sciences.(SPSS)
and presented using tables, graphs, and charts. Discussion and interpretation of the findings,
established that the higher the school fees charged, the better the provision of education to
students, the lower the school fees charged the poorer the provision of education to students.
Students in day secondary schools are highly disadvantaged in equity provision of education.
In conclusion, categorization of school fees in Kenyan secondary school is a hindrance to
equity provision of education to learners from poor economic backgrounds and day schools.
The researcher recommended a revision of school fees policy guidelines to guard against
differences in fees paid in secondary schools, allocate funds for free secondary school
according to the needs of the schools but not per student and employment of enough teachers
for all public secondary schools to enhance equity provision of education. | en_US |
