Effects of Cost-Sharing Policy on Science And Technology Education and Training in National Polytechnics in Kenya.

Abstract

Sessional paper No. 1 of 2005 states that without a working partnership on financing education, it will be hard to address the problems of inadequate access, inequity and low quality in education. The financing mechanisms also send signals to respective beneficiaries on their funds limitations. These limitations pose threats to the Technical Industrial, Vocational Entrepreneurship and Training (TIVET) objective which focus on provision and promotion of life long education and training for self reliance. Science and Technology Education Training in Kenya national polytechnics is based on this objective. Despite this, deterioration has been noted with the inception of cost sharing policies. The purpose of this study was to find out the effects of cost-sharing policy on Science and Technology Education and Training in Kenya national polytechnics. Objectives of the study were to; determine the average unit cost of educating a regular diploma student in Kenya national polytechnics; establish the effects of cost-sharing policy on access of regular diploma students in Kenya national Polytechnics; fmd out the effects of cost sharing policy on academic performance of regular diploma students in Kenya national polytechnics and to establish the cost sharing policy based challenges experienced by students, lecturers and the administrators in the Kenya polytechnics. The study was based on production function theory proposed by Wicksteed in 1884 and developed by Cobb and Douglas in 1928. This model identified the possible outcomes which could be achieved with a given combination of inputs. The study used Ex-post facto and descriptive survey research designs. Study population was 2824 which comprised of 2808 regular diploma students of Science and Technology Education Training, 12 lecturers and 4 administrators from the two national polytechnics. A sample size of 350 regular diploma students was arrived at using a formula by Yamane. Simple random sampling was used to sample the 350 students from. the population. Purposive sampling technique was used to pick cases with required information. These were twelve heads. of departments, two principals and two finance officers from the national polytechnics. Data was collected using questionnaires, document analysis guides and interview schedule. Face and content validity of the instruments was determined by experts in the Department of Educational Management and Foundations by including their suggestions. Reliability of the instruments was determined through test-retest. Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used to determine the reliability at p value of 0.05.The coefficient for lecturers questionnaire was 0.75, principals' questionnaire 0.80 and finance officers 0.8. All instruments were therefore reliable. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in form of percentages, means and frequency counts. Qualitative data was transcribed and categorized in emergent themes. The findings of the study indicated the effects of cost sharing policy on Science and Technology Education and training in Kenya national polytechnics were that 69% of the students found their training cost unaffordable at Ksh. 545,256 and Kshs 664,653 for Kisumu and Eldoret respectively. There was a relatively low enrolment rate for example in the department of Electrical and Electronics in Kisumu polytechnic enrolment rate was at 8'.5%. The drop-out rates ranged from 4.9% to 6% in Kisumu and EIdoret polytechnics. Performance index for Kisumu polytechnic was 59.8 and Eldoret polytechnic was at 63.1 out of 120. The major challenges were on capacity for access, inadequate training and learning materials, unskilled lecturers and inadequate quality assurance and standards guidance on curriculum implementation.