DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2018.v06i07.017

Pages: 1465-1476

The study investigated current trends in enrolment rates and subsidized school funding in Kenyan public secondary schools by school category, basing on the Von Thunen’s Production Function Theory that relates educational inputs and outputs. The study was undertaken in Vihiga County. A descriptive survey research design was used to guide the study. All the 5 Sub-County Directors of Education, 5175 form three students, 115 principals and 1023 teachers from all the 115 public secondary schools in Vihiga County formed the target population. A sample of 518 students, 102 teachers, 12 principals and 5 Sub-County Directors of Education was selected by saturated sampling for the directors of education, stratified random sampling for the schools and simple random sampling for the students, teachers and principals. Data were collected using a questionnaire, an interview schedule and a document analysis guide. These instruments were validated and assessed for reliability during the pilot study, which was conducted three weeks to the actual study in 5 secondary schools within the research area. Data were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics thus; frequencies and percentages. Findings revealed that there was a steady rise in the average number of students enrolled in form one in public boarding schools as compared to those who enrolled in day schools, which registered a lackluster trend. On the basis of these findings, it was recommended that the government of Kenya sensitizes parents on the need to enroll their children in day schools, so as not to overwhelm the already overstretched facilities in public boarding secondary schools, which would bridge the gap in enrolment rates among both categories of schools.