Abstract
Education plays a vital role in the development of human capital that is imperative in the modern technological and information age. However many factors, for example individual and household characteristics, socio-economic status, school related factors and government policies, have substantial impact on the participation in education in general and secondary school education in particular. The introduction of free primary education and subsidized secondary education in Kenya was responsible for the marked increase in enrolment. However, a sizeable number of children, boys and girls alike, remain out of school owing to a number of reasons. The study set out to evaluate the strategies used to improve students’ participation in secondary school education in Kakamega County. This study used a conceptual model where social and economic conflicts as represented by poverty and drug and substance abuse on one side and effects on students’ participation in secondary school education on the other. The measurable indicators for participation were enrolment, retention, progression and completion of secondary school education. The research was ex post facto in which evaluation and correlational designs were used. The study population was 20274 students in county and sub county secondary schools in the three sampled sub-counties of Kakamega North, Mumias East and Kakamega East as well as 63 principals, 63 guiding and counselling teachers, parents and guardians, religious leaders, chiefs, NG-CDF managers and Sub County Directors of education. Purposive sampling was used to select the three sub counties, stratified random sampling was used to select the schools while purposive, simple random and stratified random sampling were used to identify all other respondents. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews schedules and FGD. Data were analysed using the SPSS programme where descriptive statistics such as correlation coefficients, percentages and frequencies were used. The study identified challenges that impacted negatively on students’ participation in secondary school education in Kakamega county. The respondents proposed strategies that, if properly implemented, would go a long way in improving students’ participation in secondary school education. The proposed ameliorative strategies included financial support through bursaries and scholarships, making the learning environment friendly by involving all stakeholders in guidance and counselling, motivation and mentorship programmes through guest speakers and pastoral services, improved school management practices and monitoring programmes and economic empowerment of feeder communities to ameliorate the effects of poverty on students participation in secondary school education.