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FAMILY ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES AND STUDENTS’ RETENTION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN HUYE
DISTRICT – RWANDA
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
This chapter gives background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives, research questions, significance, scope, and limitations of the study.
1.1. Background to the study
A family is defined as a fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children (Farlex 2012). Education is the driving force behind any strong economy and a prerequisite for social and economic growth. It creates opportunities and provides societies with a better educated and skilled work force which is necessary for stimulating development (Govender etal, 2013).
Putting a strong justification for realization of a near 100% retention of learners through all levels of education in Japan (Aurela, 2011) observed that measures that address socio – economic gaps among families must be provided by the government to offer learners from unfortunate families the opportunities to be retained in schools just like those from well to do families. Morline (2009) noted in her study conducted in the far flung areas of Sang Wan village in China, that educated citizens are much more productive in society than less educated and that most countries that struggle to develop have glaring economic gaps that negate learners’ retention at different levels of schooling. In Argentina, access, retention and transition equally faces a myriad of challenges as indicated by Otega (2012) in his study based on addressing social gaps in society through education. He observed that personal challenges experienced by individual learner, particularly girls from low social family background were to blame for failure to obtained substantial education, since rention rate was low.
(EFA), international organizations and national governments in many Sub-Saharan African countries have joined together to increase access to schooling by abolishing fees and other mandatory contributions in secondary school, this is due to the success of the Free secondary school education in many countries, The logic for such a change in policy is clear, if the cost of schooling is too high, poor parents will not maintain their children in secondary school, therefore, the elimination of compulsory charges will lower the cost of education and increase the number of secondary school students at school and enabling them to finish their education (Pauline, 2013).
In sub-Saharan Africa While the global out-of-school figure has declined over the past 15 years, falling from 105 million in 1990 to 71 million in 2000 and the data show that progress began to slow down in 2005 and has stagnated between 2008 and 2010, however there is very poor retention in secondary school education in sub-saharan Africa, with over 52% of the adolescent failing to complete their secondary school education in africa, however although retention has risen in some countries, (UNICEF, 2014).
There are so many factors that have contributed to low retention rates of female learners in schools. In almost all developing countries, School dropout, and retention rate has been a subject of interest to academics, researchers and policy makers for a long time. Taban (2010) in a study conducted in Northern Tororo in Tanzania focusing retention of learners in school reported that relatively low number of girls progress up academic ladder and hence low retention. He outlined such bottle necks that impede girl academic progress as ‘regressive practices which demean women in social life; poor economic background and low family income placing priority on boys in total disregard of their female counterpart
SSA, of which Rwanda belongs, is the region with the highest levels of illiteracy in the world and many students are denied their fundamental right to education. According to the United Nations, more than 40 million students, almost half of the continent’s secondary school age students are not in school and the students who enroll fail to complete their secondary school education cycle (Go vender etal, 2013).
In Rwanda, the academic year begins in January and ends in November, and the official secondary school entrance age is 7, The system is structured so that the secondary school cycle lasts 6 years, lower secondary lasts 3 years, and upper secondary lasts 3 years, Rwanda has a total of 2,929,000 students enrolled in secondary and secondary education. Of these students, about 2,395,000 (82%) are enrolled in secondary education and the highest level of education reached by youth ages 15-24 in Rwanda. Although youth in this age group may still be in school and working towards their educational goals, it is notable that approximately 6% of youth have no formal education and 58% of youth have attained at most incomplete secondary education, meaning that in total 64% of 15-24 year olds have not completed secondary education in Rwanda (UNICEF, 2015).
Thanks to the significant efforts made over the last decade by the Government of Rwanda and its partners to expand access to education throughout the country, Rwanda is one of the top-performing countries in sub-Saharan Africa in education, having achieved Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 2 for access to Universal Secondary Education, with a net enrolment rate of 97 per cent, the enrollment and retention in secondary school education in Rwanda by percentage in one of the highest in Africa, however the percentage retention in secondary school is low, (MINEDUC, 2014).
Although Rwanda’s secondary school enrollment rates are high, the numbers show that a much smaller percentage of secondary school children are continuing on to secondary education, The net enrollment rate for secondary school is 33 percent from 2013. This number does show a slow but steady increase of 3 percent from 2010 when the enrollment rate was at 30 percent, however despite of the enrollment, Rwanda faces retention challenges in secondary school , as most of the students fail to complete their secondary school education, (UNICEF, 2015).
Despite of the teaching and learning resource availability and teachers effective classroom management and content delivery in secondary schools in Huye District, (Bizimana and orodho, 2014), the district has got numerous challenges in terms of poor retention of students in secondary schools in Rwanda, this study therefore intends to investigate into family administrative practices and students’ retention in secondary schools in Huye district – Rwanda
1.2 Statement of the problem
Student retention is a major problem in secondary schools in Huye district for secondary school going student’s especially in government schools, though there has been an improvement in the number of students enrollment in most of the Rwanda secondary schools especially from 2010 onwards, however the retention of these students in secondary schools is still below the standard of the government target.
Huye district has made some progress in providing secondary school education to most of the students in the area however most of the students leave school without finishing secondary school education.
The government of Rwanda with the assistance of international organization has invested millions of dollars, the country spends around 19.3% of its total GDP in education, which makes as one of the best in African continent, (UNESCO, 2011).
However despite this investment most of the secondary school students in Rwanda donot complete their secondary school cycle, This study therefore intends to investigate into family administrative practices and students’ retention in secondary schools in Huye district – Rwanda.
1.3 Purpose of the study
The overall purpose of this study is to investigate family administrative practices and students’ retention in secondary schools in Huye district – Rwanda.
1.4 General Objective
To assess the relationship between family administrative practices and students’ retention in secondary schools in Huye District – Rwanda
1.4.1 Specific Objectives:
- To examine the influence of Parental Monitoring and Supervision on students’ retention
- To examine the challenges in students retention in secondary schools in Huye district.
- To establish the Relationship between family practices and students retention in Huye district.
1.5 Research Questions:
- What is the influence of Parental Monitoring and Supervision on students’ retention
- What are the challenges in students retention in secondary schools in Huye district.
- What is the Relationship between family practices and students retention in Huye district.
1.5 Significance of the Study
Stake holders
The study will help the stake holders of the school to have information on the ways they can develop to enhance students’ retention in secondary schools in Huye district.
The study will also help stake holders to understand the challenges that affect secondary school retention.
Organization of the study
The district educational leaders of Huye district will be able to design policies that enhance students’ retention in secondary schools in Huye district.
The district leaders will also be in position to help the schools in implementing different government policies in ensuring the retention of students in secondary schools in Huye district.
Researchers
The study will provide information on the challenges of retention in secondary schools , this will help researcher to be in position to have enough literature for their work in such a subject.
The study will also enable the researcher to get references
The study will also be of benefit to researchers in having information regarding influence of family practices of students retention.
Researcher himself/Herself
The study will help the researcher be able to graduate from the university
The study will also help the researcher get marks for his studies
1.6 Limitations of the study
The researcher may experience challenges with convincing respondents to participate in the study.
The researcher may also experience challenges in getting enough time with the respondents since most of them are busy either working or studying.
Some respondents may ask for money from the researcher.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This will include the study scope, geographical scope and time scope.
1.7.1 Study Scope
The study will cover the following aspects; influence of Parental Monitoring and Supervision on students’ retention, challenges in students retention in secondary schools and the Relationship between family practices and students retention.
1.8.2 Geographical Scope
The study will be carried out at in Huye district
1.8.3 Time scope
The study will be carried out from
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0. Introduction
The aim of the study is to investigate into family administrative practices and students’ retention in secondary schools in Huye, Related literature is reviewed and will be focused on policy gaps and family administrative practices and students’ retention in secondary schools in Huye.
2.1 Parental Monitoring and Supervision on students’ retention
Wilkinson (2010) noted that parental monitoring in children’s education has been shown to be an important variable that positively influences students’s education and enhances their retention. More and more schools are observing the importance and are encouraging families to become more involved (Epstein, 2001). Epstein discussed how children learn and grow through three overlapping spheres of influence which are the family, school, and community. These three spheres he said must form partnerships to best meet the needs of the child.
For Ahhunawallia (1985) the main determinants for the educational achievement of the children and their retention were parents’ education, socio-economic status and size of the family. Panda (1982) studied that, home conditions such as parental support, size of the family, income level and illiteracy of the parents adversely affect the retention of the students. Chinnapan (1987) was of the opinion that parental occupational level and educational attainment of children were closely associated. Besides these, family environment holds an important position for the educational attainment of the child, as it is a place of secured living and learning for every child. Dave (1988) stated that ‘students who did not get sufficient time to read due to domestic activities and social environment brought very bad results in the school. He further added that the problem sometime multiplied for the students due to drunkenness, illiteracy and poor economic conditions of the parents.
Home supervision, which involves monitoring the child’s out-of-school activities, impacts immensely on student achievement (Desforges & Abouchaar, 2011). Desforges & Abouchaar (2013) refer to home structure as relating to the degree discipline is exerted by the parents to insist on homework completion and to limit potentially distracting activities such as watching television. This can be seen as part of providing a positive home learning environment (HLE). Activities such as reading to and with the child, library visits with the child and playing with letters and numbers, painting and drawing, teaching the letters of the alphabet through play, playing with shapes, teaching nursery rhymes and singing constitute the provision of a good HLE (Desforges & Abouchaar, 2003).
Simatwa (2010), confirm that the effect of HLE on cognitive development is stronger than that of either socio-economic status (SES) or mother’s qualifications. It is notable that there are parents high on SES and qualifications who provide a home environment low on the HLE index while there are parents low on SES and qualifications who provide a home environment high on the HLE index. In other words, there are parents who have a high socio-economic status and are highly educated who provide a poor home learning environment for their children while some parents with a low socio-economic status and low qualifications provide a good home learning environment for their children.
There is compelling evidence that parental involvement has a positive effect on children’s academic achievement, When schools work with families to support learning, children tend to succeed not just in school, but throughout life”. Many studies corroborate this link between parental involvement and learner achievement (Houtenville and Conway 2013).
Among the benefits accruing from parental involvement are: improved attitudes of learners to their studies; improved behaviour; decreased truancy; a decrease in the drop-out rate, improved school performance, a decrease in delinquency and a more positive attitude towards the school, These benefits occur across all socio-economic classes, Most parents care about their children’s welfare and well-being. The tiny minority of parents who appear not to care are those who at the time are overwhelmed by stressful life-events and financial pressures, and whose own experience of schooling was too negative for them to overcome fears and anxieties about school and teachers, Generally, parents want to do what they believe to be in their children’s best interests. It is clear from the remarks above that parental involvement has advantages to the, this therefore helps to ensure that there is students retention,
Domestic affairs effected girl’s completion of secondary education because girls did a lot of work than boys in many societies because of culture. They get involved in food preparation, student’s care, grinding millet and so on. And this situation worsens as the girls grow older, and denied rights of getting enough time to rest and read their books for a better performance and later on does not complete secondary education. They compared groups of successful and unsuccessful learners and found out that parental re-enforcement positively correlates with academic performance and achievement. Socially girls were believed to do much work like helping their mothers in home activities and this led them to have less time to concentrate on their studies compared to boys. And this affected their concentration and later on dislike of schooling (Odaet et al, 2010).
The National Action Plan on women, (2015) shows that the low priority given to the girls education by parents has made the girl child not to stay at school like their counter parts, their heavy domestic work load, demand for girl student’s labour have significant effect on the girl’s education. Since they bear the burden of additional household work and may be withdrawn from school altogether.
Most parents view sending girls to schools as something having a high opportunity costs especially for rural parents who depend on girl’s domestic work. Education costs for girls (fees and uniforms tend to be higher than that of boys thus limiting their education). This is because most parents can afford sending a daughter to school in torn or ill fittings clothes, however such girls suffer and may not be able to continue school due to high costs of the different needs at school like school uniforms and other needs as a girl, (Atekyereza, 2012).
Nye et al (2006) additionally view Parental supervision as ‘the effective engagement of a parent with their child outside of the school day in an activity which centres on enhancing academic performance’. Here emphasis is on out-of-school activities such as a trip to the zoo where the child is meant to go and learn something, or playing such games with the child at home as would improve the child’s reading or mathematics and their interest in studies to enable them stay at school thereby enhacing retention, Holloway et al (2008) also regard parental supervision as typically definable as the initiation of home-based behaviours like monitoring homework as well as school-based activities such as attending school events and communicating with teachers. The same authors also give prominence to the general degree of cognitive stimulation, among other things, provided in the home setting.
Parents’ cognitions about their role constitute a major contributor to their willingness to engage in supportive parenting (Holloway et al,2012), parents’ views of their role as teachers and their degree of comfort in communicating with teachers might be in part a reflection of their own educational experience. A poor or limited personal education might leave the parent lacking in vision as well as confidence, or competence in supporting their own children.
Parenting supervision of their children is necessary to ensure retention is constituted by beliefs in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the actions required to produce given attainments. Parents with high self-efficacy are generally more optimistic, authoritative, and consistent in their interactions with their children than those with lower parental self-efficacy (Holloway, 2008).
This, enlarging on an earlier definition, refers to the extent to which one feels capable of making a difference in regard to the education of one’s child. It depends on a number of related beliefs, attitudes and skills. If one regards achievement as related to luck or to innate ability, one will not expend effort in trying to enhance it. Again if one thinks achievement is related to who one knows instead of what one does, efforts to promote it will be made in the context of establishing the perceived necessary relationships. When one lacks such connections but believes that they are essential, one would scarcely bother to be involved. Beliefs about achievement, ability, luck, intelligence and social interaction are all implicated in one’s sense of efficacy (Desforges & Abouchaar, 2012).
In Uganda like in many African countries patriarchal characteristics are still strong, some parents and teachers favor boys more than girls. The reason is that many parents especially those in the rural think that girls get educated in order to know how to read, write and then be better daughters, wives and mothers, rather than equipping then with skills and knowledge that can enable them to handle their lives well as human beings and progressing their career of choice. A study by Atekyereza,(2010), showed that married daughters are less likely than married sons to remit cash income to their parents. For such reason,
2.2 Challenges of students retention
Most students who fail to complete their secondary school cycle they are normally faced by numerous challenges, According to kamoga, (2010), most students from poverty stricken families are faced by numerous challenges and most of them are both from home an d school.
Vogels (2012) affirms that parents with poor SES are more likely to have a low level of education, a low income and no job. All this does have implications on the self-esteem, competence and disposition to be involved. This is accentuated by Houtenville and Conway (2008) who affirm that parents’ education and family income is positively related to parental effort. The study (in the United States of America) by Holloway et al (2008) established that college educated, relatively affluent parents are more involved in educational activities at school than are lower SES parents although some research suggests that lower SES parents engage in certain aspects of parent involvement as frequently as their middle class counterparts (Mutodi, 2014).
Shortage of infrastructures and competencies to cope with large numbers of student’s is a challenge in the implementation of high students retention, Building and refurbishing schools to meet the requirements of the large number of learners with limited funds available remains a huge challenge. Such learning environment negatively affects student’s as they get overcrowded in small rooms and those who attend from outside get scorched by the sun during the dry season while in the rainy season they get wet. Generally, student’s under circumstances and especially those in the rural who get a chance to access education hardly survive till the end of the whole system. To those who survive in the system, both their output and outcomes are greatly compromised in way that most of them can never join secondary education due to low income.
Corporal punishments and harassment destabilize students and prevent them from completing their school. They do not lead to school dropout alone but also expose them to physical and psychological dangers, corporal punishments like heavy beating, digging ant-hills and slashing bushes still exist which compromise equality of survival for student’s in schools , this contributes much to students this hinders students retention in secondary schools,
Although sexual abuse and harassment is a crime and discouraged by law in Uganda, several reports in the press still show sexual abuse by male teachers on female students. This makes many young girls to get unwanted pregnancies and others get intimidated by their teachers, a reason that explain girls’ dropout more than boys (Kakuru, 2003).
The factors that are usually conditions of many African homes and everyday-living conditions as probably inadequate for our student’s to acquire large parts of their potentialities. The quotation implies that in our African setting, we had numerous problems that contribute to that may hinder students retention in secondary school, For example lack of enough funds to manage our home problems like student’s education, health matters, feeding methods dressing and sleeping habits. Also these and many others caused a lot of imbalance in a student’s attitudes towards school life, hence making him/her for school life nothing but an academic prison. Finances might therefore be directed to boys at the expense of girls (Kapinga1, 2014).
Good learning environment encourages, retention however poor living conditions and the un stimulating environment experienced by many lower socio-economic families may hinder the educational progress of student’s, and this will lead some student’s not to complete secondary education (Achoka & Ogenga, 2010).
Watson (2002) pointed out that student’s may not complete secondary education due to some family reasons. Because of poor economic status of families, parents did not have much to support their student’s education. And the priority was given to boys and girls were made to leave school and began to do home activities all the time.
Fantana (1981) says that, success in learning a subject by student’s relates closely to the learner’s home background. He goes further to state that student’s of the white collar job and middle class parents have a greater chance of success while those of the blue collar jobs have the least. Student’s who exhibit a high level of motivation tend to come from higher socio-economic status families and perform better. Several studies, point out that socio-economic status is a significant independent variable that affects completion of secondary level.
Home background affects student’s completion of secondary level in Uganda. He revealed that males from poor homes perform better than those from rich ones. The reason given was that the poor boy’s rough home life becomes a source of encouragement and inspiration to perform better for a bright future. Meanwhile, girls from good homes were found to perform better than those from poor ones. The reason here was that rich girls have less economic worries and therefore stabilize on books while poor girls waste time looking for money from men and consequently some e end up dropping out of school (Odhiambo,2012).
Domestic affairs effected girl’s completion of secondary education because girls did a lot of work than boys in many societies because of culture. They get involved in food preparation, student’s care, grinding millet and so on. And this situation worsens as the girls grow older, and denied rights of getting enough time to rest and read their books for a better performance and later on does not complete secondary education. They compared groups of successful and unsuccessful learners and found out that parental re-enforcement positively correlates with academic performance and retention in secondary schools. Socially girls were believed to do much work like helping their mothers in home activities and this led them to have less time to concentrate on their studies compared to boys. And this affected their concentration and later on dislike of schooling, leading to poor retention
The National Action Plan on women, (2011) shows that the low priority given to the girls education, their heavy domestic work load, demand for girl student’s labour have significant effect on the girl’s education. Since they bear the burden of additional household work and may be withdrawn from school altogether.
Njeuma, (2013) shows that sending girls to schools has high opportunity costs especially for rural parents who depend on girl’s domestic work. Education costs for girls (fees and uniforms tend to be higher than that of boys thus limiting their education). This is because most parents can afford sending a daughter to school in torn or ill fittings clothes. Bawn, (2009) found out that the curricular and most educational materials in schools were designed with interests of boys.
Attitudes parents show towards their student school can offset or reinforce in, saying, that if parents attitudes are negative, then the levels to reach will be lowered and vise versa.
Most school set a certain amount of scores which they believe it’s the one a student’s is supposed to score to be in position to continue to the next class however this has proved to prevent student’s from staying in schools if schools require a student to get a specific marks before allowing a student to progress to the next class, such students may not continue with school if they fail to meet the rrquirement (Kane, 2011).
Ersodo, (2011) further observes that parental education is the most important consisted determinant of student’s education, high parental education is associated with increase in access, high attendance and high attention of the student’s in school, grant further states that parents who have attained a certain education level might want their student’s to achieve at least same level. Another set of reasons are put forward for the link between parental education and retention of student’s in school by some researchers indicate that none educated parents cannot provide the support or even don’t appreciate the benefits of schooling. There is evidence that educational level of the parent can influence which student’s is more likely to access and remain in school for a long time.
Kirugi (2005) said that, so often girls are intentionally trained to be selfish through the strict upbringing and roles that they are often given at home. The parents who educate their girls want to dictate what type of subjects or courses to be done. Many poorly educated parents want their girls to study subjects which will give them good prospects for marriage, therefore most of the parents have the ability to influence retention of their children in schools.
Mukibi (2005) clearly shows the need of parental support and encouragement in enhancing retention of student’s at school. He contends that parents should provide all the necessary materials and good environment for girls’ education, he further notes that abnormal home backgrounds are disruptive factors in enhancing retention of students in school. Parents who are poor single parents and illiterate parents are in most cases unable to support their student’s in their studies thus; they fail to buy books, pens and other materials for their student’s.
Makole (2013), stated that without parental guidance and counseling and realistic information to education, girls tend to have less ambition. This clearly puts parents responsible for guidance and counseling at home and at school.
Child labour affects retention of students in secondary school According to Mutegi (2005) conversation of the rights of the student’s defined a student’s as anyone below the age of 18. Student’s labor is destroying a generation of student’s. Student’s who start working when they are young never grow as they miss out on education, which affects their stay in school, student’s labor is a rampant practice that continues to keep student’s out of school, especially in the prevailing situation of poverty at the household level, (UNICEF, 2012).
Gender discrimination amongst some families have an influence on students retention in secondary schools, Organization are working towards ending gender discrimination this is normally by non government organization and civil rights activist, most NGO are in the developing world trying to agitate for equality, this is because societies that discriminate girls as regards to their gender , hinders girls from attaining education (Burke et al, 2006).
Poor supervision and indiscipline in schools has pushed many student’s to engaging in frustrating activities, such as smoking, drinking of alcohol, miraa chewing among others. It has been observed that teachers pass time in the staffroom chatting, gossiping or simply whiling away their time while classes remained untaught and the syllabus remain uncovered, this has affected students stay in schools, The low performance of students eventually means that education does not fetch enough benefits as an investment; parents get demoralized and see education as a waste of time and the resources that could be invested elsewhere.
Teenage pregnancy is another major factor influencing retention of students in secondary schools. When student’s get pregnant in school, they have to go and stay at home until they give birth, The return of such student’s will depend on family support and the ability to maintain both the student’s and their daughter. All things being equal, there are few poor families which are in a position to take on the double responsibility and so, the majority of the girls who get pregnant do not return to school (Ngau, 2011)
A study in Ghana found that peer group exerts considerable influence on the adolescent by setting a pattern of values and behaviors for the individuals. In the greater Accra region of Ghana, peer group was found to have influenced members to drop out of school to join such activities as going to the beach and lorry parks (i.e. bus or train stations) to work as carriers of baggage or packages during school hours, this kind of behaviors affects retention of students in schools.
2.3 Relationship between family practices and students retention
Parents’ economic status is imperative for a student’s to be in position to stay at school this is due to the fact that when a parent is economic doing well they have the ability to pay for school requirements, like books, pens and school fees this therefore enables a student to stay at school, unlike poor parents who can’t afford the student in this case will be forced to leave school without finishing, (UNICEF, 2012).
It is obvious that such family would rather spend little income they have on food rather than meeting hidden costs of education and especially the uniform which is compulsory. In cases where parents have a problem in meeting these costs, students are sent away from school until they get such money contrary Paaku (2008).
According to Fantana, (2012) poor living conditions and the un stimulating environment experienced by many lower socio-economic families may hinder the educational progress of student’s. Also such student’s said that they had nowhere at home to sit and read quietly or do their home work. And this led some student’s not to complete secondary education.
Watson (2013) pointed out that student’s did not complete secondary education due to some family reasons. Because of poor economic status of families, parents did not have much to support their student education. And the priority was given to boys and girls were made to leave school and began to do home activities all the time.
Fantana, (2012) says that, success in learning a subject by student’s relates closely to the learner’s home background. He goes further to state that student’s of the white collar job and middle class parents have a greater chance of success while those of the blue collar jobs have the least. Student’s who exhibit a high level of motivation tend to come from higher socio-economic status families and perform better. Several studies, point out that socio-economic status is a significant independent variable that affects completion of secondary level.
Mullar (2010), found out that, home background affects student’s completion of secondary level. He revealed that males from poor homes perform better than those from rich ones. The reason given was that the poor boy’s rough home life becomes a source of encouragement and inspiration to perform better for a bright future. Meanwhile, girls from good homes were found to perform better than those from poor ones. The reason here was that rich girls have less economic worries and therefore stabilize on books while poor girls waste time looking for money from men and consequently some end up dropping out of school.
Educators are caregivers, models, and mentors and must treat student’s with respect, set good examples, and support positive social behaviors, The unit is mindful that there is no prototypical “teaching personality” but believes that standards would be incomplete without attention to dispositions. The Unit supports values, commitments and professional ethics that influence behaviours toward student’s, families, colleagues, and communities and that affect student learning, motivation, and the educator’s own professional growth (Pauline, 2014).
Student’s that have economic, social, or educational advantages are the least likely to leave schools, while student’s lacking these advantages are the most likely to leave. Advantaged students are also likely to attend the most elite schools, and since these student’s are least likely to leave school before graduating, these schools have the highest retention rates.
Health and nutrition have been considered a critical factor for student to stay in schools and complete education cycle and accordingly a number of scholars assert that proper nutrition is critical for the student’s stay at school, Studies carried out at secondary school level indicate that well fade and healthy student’s perform better in school the families of the students therefore have the responsibility of ensuring that the students are fade well to enable them achieve good academic performance (Kamoga, 2010).
Achoka et al, 2012 asserts that long term effects of health and nutrition status of young student’s affect their retention in school. To him the health of a student’s is very important if a student’s is to be retained in school the student’s must be healthy in order to learn as the saying goes healthy mind in a healthy body, while Alderman et al, (2011), carried out a survey in parkistan rural student’s and found out that student’s health and nutrition had a greater impact on retention of students in school, further research by , onzima, 2010 indicates that school age going student’s who suffer from protein energy malnutrition, hunger or who luck certain micro nutrients in their diets do not have the same potential for learning as healthy and well nourished student’s.
Pidmore, (2013) contends that student’s with poor health attend school less frequently and are more likely to repeat grades and less likely to remain at school this affects them because they don’t learn adequately and don’t have enough time to stay at school due to poor levels of retention, motivation, cognitive functions.
Parents shows discrimination to send HIV infected student’s to school because they feel little is occurring, teachers, few learning materials and employment prospects are slender to those student’s arguing that they will die before they Finnish school (Kasonde, 2013), he further states that there is a link between illness related absence and retention as resuming studies after prolonged studies after prolonged absence from school can be difficult for a student’s on the other hand HIV/AIDS is also another issue slowing down the growth of the school aged population this has lowered enrollment in secondary schools and caused low retention rates which are accelerated by effects originating from the deadly disease.
2.4 Theoretical frame work
Scholars have long held an interest in students’ departure, partly because it is a complex human behavior; partly because it is related to other factors like status attainment, self-development, and the development of human capital; and partly because it is a place where theory can have an impact on practice. Retention studies are important to institutions because if institutions can maintain or increase their retention rates, they can survive, and possibly prosper.
Since students retention is by definition a process that occurs over time, theoretical models tend to be longitudinal, complex, and contain several categories of variables that reflect both students and institutional characteristics. Theories of departure provide an explanation of why students leave school. Theoretical models of departure are models based on theories, while models of departure identify factors assumed to be related to retention without providing an explanation of why the factors act the way they do. Theories, theoretical models, and models are used somewhat interchangeably in the literature.
The study will use Vicent Tito’s model of students’ retention
Students retention models are complex because they contain a large number of variables, often set in a casual pattern. A variable could either affect retention directly, or it could affect some other variable that has a direct effect on retention. For example, high school grades could directly affect rates of retention (e.g. the higher the high school grades, the higher the rate of retention). High school grades could also be thought to affect retention indirectly; that is, the higher the high school grades, the higher the school grades-and the higher the school grades, the higher the rate of retention.
Since 1970, the main theoretical tradition in the study of students retention has been sociological, involving a search for commonalities of behaviors that distinguish groups of students who stay from groups of students who leave. Psychological and socio-psychological approaches, concerned with how individuals assess themselves in an educational context, began to develop after 1980. In the decade of the 1990s there was an increasing interest in how economic factors affect retention and in how the cultural factors typical of subgroups of students affect retention decisions, particularly in terms of minority students retention. Other theoretical approaches have been taken, but have had little empirical study. Pascarella and Terenzini (1991) offered a summary on students retention and other associated outcomes.
Vincent Tinto’s model of students’ departure has had the greatest influence on our understanding of students retention. His theory helped guide a large number of dissertations and empirical studies of students’ retention. The model posits that students enter school with family and individual attributes as well as preschool schooling. They enter with certain commitments, both to finishing school and to staying at their school. They enter an academic system that is characterized by grade performance and intellectual development, which together lead to academic integration, and they enter a social system where peer group interactions and faculty interactions lead to social integration. Academic and social integration work together to influence ongoing goal and institutional commitments, which, in turn, lead to the decision to remain in, or to leave school. This model was later revised through the addition of commitments outside the institution and intentions to remain enrolled, Terenzini (1999).
The explanatory theory underlying Tinto’s model came most immediately from the research of William Spady (1971), who saw an analogy between committing suicide and dropping out of school. In both instances, according to Spady, a person leaves a social system. The French philosopher and sociologist Emile Durkheim had found that some people committed suicide because they lacked the values of the social system in which they participated, and because they were not supported by a group of friends. At the core of his model, Tinto borrowed Spady;’s use of Durkheim’s two postulates to identify the concepts of academic and social integration. Academic integration was thought to be the result of sharing academic values, and social integration was viewed as the result of developing friendship with other students and faculty members. In Tinto’s model, a students who does not achieve some level of academic or social integration is likely to leave school.
While Tinto’s (1993) later model is similar in structure to his earlier ones, it offers another explanation of students’ departure: failure to negotiate the rites of passage. According to this theory, students would remain enrolled if they separated themselves from their family and high school friends, engage in processes by which they identified with and took on the values of other students and faculty, and committed themselves to pursuing those values and behaviors.
A second theoretical trust came from John Bean, based on empirical and theoretical studies published in the 1980s, an explanatory model of students retention, and a psychological model of students retention developed by John Bean and Shevawn Eaton (2000). Originally based on a model of turnover in work organizations, Bean’s model evolved into one where the overall structure was based on psychological processes, the model was similar to Tinto’s in that it was complex and longitudinal. The model differed from Tinto’s original model in two important ways, however: It included environmental variables (or factors outside the school that might affect retentions) and a students’s intentions, a factor found to be the best predictor of students retention. These factors were subsequently incorporated into Tinto’s model (1993) model.
Bean’s model, described traditional-age students, posits that background variables, particularly a students’s high school educational experiences, educational goals, and family support, influence the way a students interacts with the school or university that the students chose to attend. After matriculation (as in Tinto’s model) the students interacts with institutional members in the academic and social arena. According to Bean (1993). The students also interacts in the organizational (bureaucratic) area, and is simultaneously influenced by environmental factors, such as wanting to be with others at another school or running out of money. A students’s interaction with the institution leads the students to develop a set of attitudes toward himself or herself as a students and toward the school. Academic capabilities (as indicated by grade point average), feeling one fits in at an institution, and loyalty to the institution are a primary set of outcomes that are extremely important in determining a students’s intentions to remain enrolled, as well as actually continuing enrollment. Bean eta-l (1985) also developed a model of students retention for non traditional students which reduced the emphasis on social integration actors since non traditional (older, working, commuting) students have less interaction with others on campus than do traditional, residential students.
The study will also use Bean and Easton (2000) model
Bean and Easton (2000) model describes how three psychological processes affect academic and social integration. While attitude-behaviors theory provides an overall structure for the model, self-efficacy theory, coping behavioral (approach-avoidance) theory, and attribution (locus of control) theory are used to explain how students develop academic and social integration.
These grand theories of students retention of the 1990s, which attempt to simplify a very complex action into a series of identifiable steps, are inadequate to deal with either specific populations or individual decisions. Because of this inadequacy, a series of articles was written to provide increased explanations of certain aspects of students retention. A collection of these partial theories, which provide a closer look at a certain aspect of students retention decisions, was published by John eta-l in 2000. This volume contains explanations of retention behavior based on economic factors, psychological processes, campus climate, students learning, campus cultures ethical differences, school choice, social reproduction, and power (critical theory).
Of these theoretical approaches, a number of studies of the economic influences on retention have been conducted, particularly by Edward (2000) based on cost-benefit analysis, these studies examine how retention decisions are affected by ability to pay, family resources, students aid, perceptions of aid, and tuition.
Regardless of the particular approaches taken in a model, the general process of students retention remains the same: Both experiences before entering school and academic abilities are important; the way students interact in the social and academic environment once at school are important, as are factors from outside of the institution, particularly the cost of attending the school; and the attitudes a student’s forms about the institution and about his or her role of being a students at a particular institution (Do I fit in? Am I developing? Am I validated?) are also important aspects of a student’s decision to remain enrolled.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
This section presents the research methods that will be used to carry out the study. It covers the research design, Area of study, target population, sample design, sample size, research instrument, measurement of variables, Data Collection Procedure, data analysis and anticipated problems of the study
3.1 Research Design
A case study design shall be adopted for this research, They provide an in depth study of a particular situation. The study also shall use qualitative and quantitative methodologies for data analysis. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies shall be used in examining the family administrative practices and students’ retention in secondary schools in Huye. Quantitative research consists of those studies in which the data concerned can be analyzed in terms of numbers while qualitative describes events, persons and so forth scientifically without the use of numerical data. Quantitative research is based more directly on its original plans and its results are more readily analyzed and interpreted, Qualitative research is more open and responsive to its subject. (Christina Hughes, 2006).
3.2 Target population
Sekaran (2003) defines a population as the entire group of people, events or things that a researcher wishes to investigate. The study shall consider the Head teachers, teachers and students.
3.3 Sample Size
The study will select a sample of 148 respondents to help in the study, this will be selected to enable the researcher have a representative sample to help in the study.
3.3.1 Sampling Techniques and Selection
Mugenda and Mugenda (2003), argue that it is impossible to study the whole targeted population and therefore the researcher shall take a sample of the population. A sample is a subset of the population that comprises members selected from the population. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table for sample size determination approach, a sample size of 148 respondents shall be selected from the total estimated population of the respondents.
3.4 Data collection instrument
3.4.1 Structured Questionnaire
The questionnaire will be used on the basis that the variables under study cannot be observed for instance the views, opinions, perceptions and feelings of the respondents. The questionnaires will be used because the information will be collected from a large sample in a short period of time because most respondents are able to read and write (Sekaran, 2003). Personally administered questionnaires will be used to draw information regarding compliance practice. They will be administered to Head teachers, teachers and students of selected schools because there are convenient and efficient in the collection of quantitative data. The questionnaires will be open and closed ended with a likert scale on five anchors.
The researcher will choose the questionnaire as an instrument because the study will be virtually descriptive and the tool is an easy method of data collection. Respondents will respond honestly because of anonymity. It’s also time saving and cost effective.
3.4.2 Interview Guide
Qualitative data will be collected from the informants using interviews. The interview guide will be structured. The head teachers will be interviewed for approximately thirty to sixty minutes. This is noted to be the best tools for getting first hand information /views, perceptions, feelings and attitudes of respondents. Both formal and informal interviews will be used to get maximum information from the different respondents to participate in the research.
The interview guide will be used because according to Amin (2003), the interview helpe in understanding the feeling of the respondents.
3.4.3 Validity and Reliability
The data a collection tools shall be pre-tested on a smaller number of respondents from each category of the population to ensure that the questions are accurate clear and in line with each objective of the study.
It is the degree to which results obtained from the analysis of the data actually represents the phenomenon understudy, (Mugenda&Mugenda, 2003). To ensure validity of instrument close guidance of the supervisor will be adopted. This will help to identify ambiguous questions in the interval and be able to re-align them to the objectives.
3.4.3.5 Reliability
Reliability tests and analysis shall be carried out.
3.5.1 Quantitative data analysis
Data analysis shall involve the use of both quantitative and qualitative techniques.
Data processing shall be done by entering the data into a statistics package for social sciences (SPSS) in line with the research questions. Data analysis shall be done by also using this statistics package for social sciences (SPSS) to formulate frequency tables where the mean, variance and standard deviation will be obtained.
3.5.1 Qualitative Data Analysis
Qualitative data, such as findings out of interviews of respondents, will be put into meaningful and exhaustive categories. Content analysis will be the main method of analyzing the data collected (Miles & Huberman, 2004). The Data will be classified into categorical variables. Therefore, data will be analyzed thematically. In using this form of analysis, major themes will be identified and classified, The researcher will examine the collected and identified information that will be relevant to the research questions and objectives (Mbabazi, 2008).
3.6 Ethical considerations
The researcher will request for a letter of introduction from the University that will permit her to carry out research in the selected Schools of Huye district. During the data collection process the researcher after explaining the purpose of the study will present the letter of introduction to the authorities of different secondary schools in Huye district. There after the researcher will seek a written informed consent of respondents of the secondary schools. While there she will sure the respondents of their confidentiality by informing them that the study will purely be for study purpose and all the information that will be given by them will be treated with confidentiality.
