DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2023.v11i07.005

Pages: 187-191

Education is a basic need to every citizen. However, dropout has been at the top barring all countries the world over in ensuring a hundred percent literacy rates. The Kenyan government has since independence come up with various policies in a bid to increase access and retention rate: Free primary Education (2003), Free Day Secondary Education (2008) and a 100% transition rate policy (2018) from primary school to secondary. This study sought to investigate Household – related factors leading to Students’ Dropout from Mixed-Day Secondary Schools in Bomet East Sub-County, Kenya for the period between the year 2020 and 2023. This study tried to determine the reasons as to why students drop out of school and suggested recommendations on what can be done about it. The study was based on The Classical Theory of Equal Opportunities and Social Darwinism that is predicated on a philosophy that everyone has fair and equal access to a good quality education regardless of social background, race, gender, or religion, and where people achieve success in education according to their efforts and ability, free from any form of discrimination. Descriptive Research Design was used. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data from the sampled respondents in sampled Mixed Day Secondary schools. Piloting was carried out. Percentages and Frequencies were used to analyze the data with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). It was found out that the following household-related factors lead to student’s dropout; female genital mutilation, early marriages, child labour and cultural beliefs. The study suggests five recommendations to curb school dropouts. The findings are hoped to add new knowledge and benefit the teachers, school principals and other school stakeholders to put necessary measures in place to curb the dropout problem.