RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCREASED STUDENT ENROLMENT AND DELIVERY OF STUDENT WELFARE SERVICES IN PUBLIC BOARDING SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KISUMU WEST SUB- COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The issue of students’ enrolment and student welfare has been the concern of education researchers around the globe. This study attempted to establish the relationship between increased student enrolment and delivery of student welfare services in public secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub- County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to determine the relationship between increased student enrolment and delivery of accommodation services in public boarding schools. Examine the relationship between increased student enrolment and delivery of catering services in public boarding schools. Examine the relationship between increased student enrolment and delivery of health services in public boarding schools, and establish the relationship between increased student enrolment and delivery of guidance and counselling services in public boarding schools in Kisumu West Sub- County. Enrolment Management Theory by Doelence and Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, which consisted of 357 students, 32 class teachers, 8 boarding mistresses/masters,8 matrons/patrons, 8 nurses, 8 cateresses/caterers, 8 heads of guidance and counselling, from 8 public boarding secondary. Making a total of 429 sample size. The final sample size of 357 students was arrived at by using the Krejcie & Morgan table. A combination of census and proportionate sampling techniques was employed. Data for the study was collected through open ended and closed ended questionnaires. Pilot study was carried out in two schools outside the county. The instrument was evaluated for content validity while the reliability was established using the test-retest method that yield a coefficient value of 0.7 which was considered reliable. Qualitative data was analyzed based on the content of the responses while quantitative data was coded and entered in to SPSS and analyzed using inferential statistics. The study therefore concluded that increased student enrolment affects the welfare services in secondary boarding schools in Kisumu West Sub- County Kenya. The study therefore recommended school administrators find ways to increase the welfare services in the schools to reduce incidences of overcrowding in the dormitories, poor quality of food, inadequate bathrooms and toilets, inadequate guidance and counseling personnel among others.