Challenges Of Accessing University Education By High School Graduates In Marsabit Central Division, Kenya

ABSTRACT

According to MoEST (2008), it’s observed that access to university education has tremendously improved in current years. The enrolment moved from 59,195 in 2000-2001 to 1333,710 in 2007-2008 academic year. However, that increment has not been experienced in the areas of semi-arid lands (ASAL). The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges of accessing university education by high school graduates of Marsabit District. Survey research method was used to gather information on access to university education. Factors under investigation were economic factors, cultural factors, school based factors and geographic factors. The target population was 405 persons from six secondary schools. One hundred and twenty two (122) respondents were selected through purposive sampling which included 99 students, 21 teachers and 2 education officers all from Marsabit central. Questionnaires were used to acquire information and the method of analysis was descriptive where mode and frequencies were used to describe level of access to University education in Marsabit District. It was found that majority of the students in Marsabit Central would like to attain university education with the main objective of helping their community and to get good jobs. In addition, their parents would like their children to go to university after their KCSE. It was also found that early marriage and negative attitude were the greatest hindrances to university education. The major facility that was found lacking was library facilities and water provision. The study found that there was no correlation between gender and the challenges facing access to higher school of leaning by Marsabit central high school graduates. From careful consideration of the data analysis the following conclusions can be made: That majority of the high school graduates want to join university after their KCSE, Majority of the students had positive attitude towards university education, Majority of the teachers would like their students to attain university education, Early marriage and negative attitude were the greatest hindrances to university education and Students considered library facilities and books inadequate. From the discussion and conclusions derived from the data collected and analyzed, the researcher suggests the following recommendations: That the challenge of early marriages and negative attitude should be addressed by the stakeholders such as headteachers, NGOs, social groups as well as teachers, The Ministry of Education should ensure that school facilities are increased, measures can be adopted to subsidize the boarding fee, The Ministry of Education should increase the number of graduate teachers and especially female teachers, interaction between students who study in the ASAL areas and students from other areas, for example, Nairobi, Central, Eastern, Western, among other areas, should be encouraged. The researcher recommended that the Ministry of education should ensure that school facilities are increased so that they are adequate. The Ministry of Education should increase the number of graduate teachers and especially female teachers, Interaction between students who study in the ASAL areas and students from other areas, for example, Nairobi, Central, Eastern, Western, among other areas, should be encouraged.