Effect of Expansion of Public Day Secondary Schools on Utilisation of Selected Physical Facilities: Library and Laboratory in Mumias Sub-County, in Kakamega County, Kenya

Abstract

Investment in Education occurs against a backdrop of scarce resources hence the need for stakeholders to have an insight into internal efficiency of the school system so as to employ resources to the best benefit of students and nation.  Expansion of public day secondary schools was expected to enhance access and provide quality education to students who miss the opportunity to access boarding facilities due to high boarding school fees.  The specific objective of the study was to establish the effect of expansion of public day secondary schools on utilization of selected physical facilities (library and laboratory).The study employed descriptive survey research design.  A sample size of 1,323 students, 164 teachers and 36 principals from a population of 4,410 form 3 and 4 students, 546 teachers and 43 principals respectively were involved.  Simple random and saturated sampling were used to select students/teachers and principals respectively.  Research instruments used were questionnaires, interview schedules and observations. Quantitative data collected from closed questionnaire items was tallied and presented using frequency counts, percentages and means.  Qualitative data was transcribed and organized into categories and themes based on study objective.  Analysis of data was done using descriptive statistics and data presented in form of frequency tables.  The findings revealed that most of the public day secondary schools did not have functional libraries other than book stores or rooms, the students underutilized library.  Findings also revealed that most public day secondary schools did not have adequate laboratories, some newly established schools completely lacked laboratories, some lacked facilities while others had more learners than the facilities available in the laboratories.  The study concluded that expansion of public day secondary schools has affected utilization of library facilities at different levels of classes and periods, however it has not affected utilization of laboratory.  Newly established public day secondary schools lacked library and laboratory facilities.  The study recommended that establishment of public day secondary schools should be suspended because of minimal yearly increase.  It should be mandatory for a school to have a library and laboratory before being registered.  The government should increase capitation forfree day secondary education funding, CDF funding to enable adequate provision of library and laboratory facilities in public day secondary school.  The limited resources should be spread over larger number of public day secondary schools to meet increase demand of secondary education.