Relationship between Religious Cultures and Student Retention in Chartered Christian Universities in Kenya

Abstract

The role of this study was to explain the relationship between religious cultures and student retention in Chartered Christ ian Universit ies in Kenya. The study was based on Students’ Integration Theory by Tinto [1] and Cultural Model of Educational Management by Bush [2]. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. The targeted population was 604 year four students, 12 Academic Deans, 5 chaplains, 5 Finance Managers, and 5 Deans of students in Chartered Christian Universities. Census method was used to sample the respondents. Questionnaires which were piloted and tested for reliability using test-retest method and validated by experts were used together with interviews to collect data. Qualitative data was later analysed and presented. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics. SPSS version 22 was employed for data analysis. Pearson Product Moment Correlations Co-efficient and regression analysis were computed to establish relationships between the two variables. Embedded Design for mixed methods was used to integrate and present the findings. It was established that religious cultures were related to student retention (r=0.437; p=0.000) and thus, the null hypothesis was rejected, and the alternate hypotheses adopted. The study recommends that chartered Christian universities in Kenya should take advantage of their religious cultures and find policies that strengthen the existing cultures as tahey develop new ones. It also recommends that the Ministry of Education should develop policies that could facilitate student retention and review the exist ing policies on students’ retent ion in inst itutions of higher learning in Kenya and beyond. Moreover, further research should be carried out.