Relationship between ecological, economic, conflict, socio-cultural factors and enrolment of girls in rural public primary schools in Samburu County, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to address the persistent low enrolment of girls in rural public primary schools in Samburu County, Kenya. The study targeted all 136 female teachers in rural public primary schools who were interviewed using questionnaires and purposively selected 27 head teachers whose responses were obtained using interview schedules. In the first test (Ho1), the researcher investigated the connection between ecological factors and the enrolment of girls in Samburu County. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient revealed a statistically significant negative correlation of -0.429 with a p-value (Sig.) of 0.025. The second test (Ho2) examined the relationship between economic factors and girls' enrolment in Samburu County. With respect to the Ho3 test, the Pearson Correlation Coefficient revealed a significant negative correlation of -0.537, with a low p-value (Sig.) of 0.005, indicating significance at the 5 per cent level. This similarly indicates that higher levels of inter-group conflict factors are linked to a reduction in girls' enrolment in the region. Pearson Correlation for Ho4 of Socio-cultural factors yielded a value of -.503. The significance level is 0.004, less than the .05 p-value. In a nutshell, all the null hypotheses have been rejected. The study recommends a holistic approach to enhance girls' education in Samburu County. This behoves educational planners, including raising public awareness about the importance of girls' education and challenging traditional beliefs, increasing the presence of female teachers, and addressing economic barriers. Infrastructure improvements, transportation, and safety measures are essential, along with resolving water scarcity issues and expanding access to education in rural areas.