EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSTITUENCY BURSARY AWARDS IN ENHANCING DESERVING STUDENTS’ ACCESS TO PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION IN TRANS-NZOIA WEST SUB-COUNTY, TRANS-NZOIA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine, the level of effectiveness in distribution of Constituency bursary awards, so as to enhance deserving students’ access to public secondary school education in Trans- Nzoia West Sub-county, Kenya between 2006 and 2009. The mechanisms and criterion used by bursary awarding bodies have continued to leave out many deserving students in Trans- Nzoia West Sub-county. Therefore, this study explored the effectiveness of Constituency bursary awards in enhancing deserving students’ access to public secondary school education in Trans- Nzoia West Sub-county, Kenya. The research design used was descriptive survey. The population consisted of the public secondary school principals in the constituency, officials of CDF, CBF and LATF committees, the bursary applicants and bursary recipients. Sample size was 163 (34 secondary school principals, 100 bursary applicants, 20 bursary recipients, 9 officials). Data collection was done by use of one questionnaire, one interview schedule and document analysis. Simple random sampling technique was used. Cronbach’s coefficient Alpha was computed to determine how items correlate among themselves. With a coefficient of 0.8 the items were said to be highly correlating amongst themselves (Mugenda & Mugenda, 2003). Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the trend of bursary awards distribution to schools and the extent of adherence to established criteria when awarding bursaries in Trans- Nzoia West Sub-county. There are a number of deserving students who miss out bursary due to limited funds allocated to bursary kitty by the awarding bodies. It was further noted that the set criteria of bursary award are not adhered to in selection of beneficiaries; thus there was no transparency and accountability. Inferential statistics specifically one way-ANOVA was used. The results of this study indicate that the bursary awarded to students in Trans-Nzoia West Sub-county is quite ineffective in enhancing deserving students’ access to public secondary school education. The findings of the study may help the deserving students’ access to secondary school education with regard to equal opportunity and fairness in identification of deserving and needy cases for the constituency bursary awards.