Free and Compulsory Education Policy Implementation; Determining its Relationship with Learners' Entry Behavior in Public Day Secondary Schools in Kitui County, Kenya

Although the Government of Kenya has been boosting effort in implementing free and compulsory education policy, transition from primary schools to secondary schools, retention and completion at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) have remained below 100 percent. Hence the study purposed to determine the relationship between learners’ entry behavior and implementation of free and compulsory education in public day secondary schools in Kitui County, Kenya. The study was underpinned on Liberal Educational Theory (LET) and used a descriptive study research design. The target population for the study was 655; 327 public day secondary school principals, 327 Parents Associations (PA) chairpersons of those schools and Kitui County Director of Education (CDE). Data were collected from a sample of 182 respondents; 164 principals, 17 (PA) chairpersons and the Kitui CDE. Data were collected by use of questionnaire for principals, interview schedules for CDE and PA chairpersons and document review analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed based on emerging themes, while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Hypothesis testing was done using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (Pr) method at a significance level of 0.05. The study findings showed that there was a negative and significant relationship between learners’ entry behavior and the implementation (transition, retention and completion) rates (r = -.678; p≤ .01). In view of the forestated results, the study made conclusion that the indirect relationship between the study variables negatively affected the implementation of free and compulsory education. On this basis, the study recommended, among others that secondary school principals should adhere to the policy of admitting candidates regardless of marks obtained at KCPE and promote learners to the next class regardless of performance in previous formative examinations. This, would enhance prospects of 100 % transition, retention and completion in public day secondary schools in Kitui County and Kenya in general.