ABSTRACT

Despite the efforts made by the Government of Kenya to improve primary to secondary transitions, regional and gender disparities have existed with some regions like Miriga Mieru West division of Meru County registering a dismal primary to secondary transition rate of less than 50 percent thus prompting the researcher to conduct a research in the area. The purpose of the study was to identify factors hindering transitions from primary to secondary schools in Miriga Mieru West division of Meru County. The study specifically set out to achieve the following specific objectives:- to identify social, cultural, economic and gender factors that affected transition from primary to secondary schools in Miriga Mieru division, to identify school based factors (internal) factors affecting transition from primary to secondary education in Miriga Mieru division of Meru County and to identify research gaps on the above cited issues and interventions to enhance transitions to secondary education and suggest measures that could be taken to arrest the declining trend of transition from primary to secondary schools in Miriga Mieru division. The study used to descriptive survey design to investigate and identify barriers to transiting from primary to secondary schools in Miriga Mieru west division. The researcher administered a pilot study on three schools which were had not been in the actual study schools. Piloting was done to determine the validity and reliability of the research instruments as well as making the researcher familiarize with the task ahead. Unclear and vague items in the research designs were adjusted accordingly to make them clear and meaningful. The target population was ten primary schools head teachers, thirty primary school subject teachers, area education officer, area assistance chief and twenty class eight graduates who did not transit to secondary schools. Data was collected through questionnaires and interview schedules and analyzed in Micro-soft Excel Package. It was established that a combination of intertwined factors closely contributed to low primary to secondary transition in Miriga Mieru West Division. Internal inefficiency in school, social cultural factors among others contributed to this low transition. It was recommended that the government should rein force labour laws that bar firms from employing minors, enhance penalties for principals levying extra fees to pupils, expand the streams in the existing schools, and enhance bursary allocation to needy students among other measures to improve transitions from primary to secondary Education.