Abstract: This study aims at investigating factors that lead to Kiswahili poor Speaking Skills in Kicukiro Secondary Schools, Rwanda. The study was guided by constructivism theory by Jean Piaget (1896-1980). Different methods were used to collect data, including interview, classroom observation and document analysis. As a result, this research used three Kiswahili teachers from three different secondary schools and twelve students from those schools. Data from the research were analyzed qualitatively. The target population was selected purposively. Findings showed that students do not speak Kiswahili effectively owing to different reasons, namely: shyness of students while speaking Kiswahili, lack of motivation, fear of speaking Kiswahili in public, lack of Kiswahili spoken vocabulary as well as lack of confidence in speaking Kiswahili language. Therefore, this study recommends various educational institutions, including the ministry of education and its stakeholders to provide enough teaching resources in schools, cooperation of learners with parents’ involvements in learning development of their children, teachers must be well equipped in strategies that help students acquire Kiswahili speaking skills.

Abstract: This study set out to investigate school factors that influence students’ academic performance in Gicumbi schools. This study aimed to determine how Continuing Professional Development (CPD, library use, group discussions, parental support, exercises, assessments, corrections and feedback affect academic performance in mathematics in Gicumbi District. Study sample included 6 teachers, 6 deputy head teachers in charge of studies and 120 students. This study used quantitative approaches and descriptive statistics to learn more about the learning and teaching environments at the school. School resources, school discipline, study habits, health status, parental support, teacher math education competency, mathematics teacher professional development, absenteeism, use of the school library, more exercises, end-unit assessment and feedback were the factors influencing student performance.

Abstract: Education plays a leading role in economic development in a country. This is hampered by challenges associated with dropout and transition in primary schools. The purpose of this study was to determine transition and dropout rates in public primary schools in Kisumu East Sub County. The study was guided by the following objectives: to establish causes of high drop-out rate and to determine factors leading to low transition rate in Kisumu East Sub County. The population consisted of 45 head teachers, 274 teachers and 751 pupils. Saturated sampling was used to select 40 head teachers and stratified random sampling to select 74 teachers and 202 pupils. Descriptive survey research design was used in this study. Questionnaire, document analysis and interview schedule were used. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that leading factor for dropout was the level of family income and for transition was availability of physical facilities. The study concluded that dropout and transition rates are determined by a range of interacting factors such as level of family income, orphan hood, level of education of family head, availability of physical facilities , cost of education , enrolment pupil character and pupil attitude. The study recommended that to increase retention and improve transition there should be cooperation between parents, teachers and the government. The study may be significant to all education stakeholders in Kisumu East Sub County in curbing the challenges of dropout and transition in the Sub County and the country as a whole.

Abstract: The movement from the Roman Catholic Church to the mushrooming Pentecostal churches is a great Phenomenon globally and in Africa. The gist of the study was to explore factors influencing this movement. The study explored economic concerns contributing to Church hopping from Roman Catholic Church to Pentecostal Churches in Karuri Parish, Kiambu Deanery, Nairobi Archdiocese in Kenya. The study was anchored on Faith Development and Exit and Voice Theories. This study employed descriptive survey design using a mixed method approach. Strata, cluster, snowball, and purposive sampling for 40 participants was employed. Data was collected by administering structured questionnaires and interview schedules. Researcher also reviewed secondary source documents. The quantitative data was analysed with the help of SPSS version 23, using descriptive statistics, for quantitative data. Qualitative data was analysed using content analysis and presented in form of narratives. The study revealed that several economic issues contributed to church hopping. The study recommended comprehensive and continuous catechetical instruction, implementation of documents of Roman Catholic faith, embracing technology, Bible reading and study, registration of churches, involving the youth in church activities and vetting church leaders in order to promote integrity and moral uprightness in order to curb church hopping of Roman Catholics to Pentecostal Churches. This study findings may help address the issue of church hopping from the Roman Catholic Church to Pentecostal churches and also advance knowledge in this area.

Received February 25, 2021; Revised April 9, 2021 Accepted April 10, 2021

The study interrogated barriers among women survivor to legal redress on gender-based violence. It was a qualitative research design utilising in-depth Interviews, Case Narratives and Key Informant Interviews as the main methods of data collection. There were 20 women survivors of gender-based violence aged 18 years and above. Data was analysed using content analysis and presented in the form of narratives with verbatim quotes to magnify the informants’ voices. Intimate partners meted physical violence, sexual violence, marital violence, economic violence and psychological/emotional violence to women. Survivors of gender-based violence sought help from village elders, clan elders, sub-chiefs, chiefs, police officers and the courts. Barriers included ignorance of legal process and lack of referral systems of cases and the police referred women to clan elders – when clan elders, who were unable to resolve the cases refer them back again to the police. Women did not access legal services because of economic dependency, poverty and illiteracy, corruption, poor referral systems for gender-based violence, culture and its socialization, law enforcement on institutional barriers, lack of awareness on laws and legal procedures/process, fear of consequences from family members and legal barriers. GBV leads to long lasting consequences such as death, physical disabilities, emotional and psychological disorders as well as medical problems like heart problems that include high blood pressure. There is also need to sensitize the community on gender-based violence laws and policies in order to totally eradicate the legal barriers that women face in court processes as they seek legal services.

Received December 31, 2020; Revised March 29, Accepted March 31, 2020

Abstract: Pre-school education is fundamental in providing foundation for learning. In the recent years, there has been noted decline trend nationally in the transition of learners from Early Years of Education (EYE) to primary schools in Belgut Sub-County as per 2018 published Sub-County Education Office report. This study investigated school-based factors influencing learner retention in public pre-schools. The study specifically sort out to; find out the learning activities influencing learner retention and explore the school environment influence on learner retention in public pre-schools in Belgut Sub- County. The study was anchored on Maslow theory. Descriptive research design was adopted. The study targeted 326 respondents comprising of head teachers and pre-school teachers. Sample size for the study was 95 head teachers and 127 pre-school teachers. Questionnaires were utilized for pre-school teachers and interview schedules for Head-teachers .Observation checklists were also utilized. The study yielded both Quantitative and qualitative data which was analyzed thematically and by use of SPSS version 22. Data was presented by use of figures and tables. The study established that there is need for pre-school learners to enjoy free movement rather than having them confined to one place. Further, the study revealed that the school environment is crucial for learner retention thus need for sufficient pre-schools amenities. The study is significant to stakeholders in positioning themselves to ensure that they maintain retention of learners in pre-school, managers and proprietors of pre-schools in devising better approaches that enable retention of learners and Ministry of Education in crafting better policy framework that clearly stipulate the roles of all the stake holders in Early Years of Education