Influence of Motorcycle (Bodaboda) Business on Pupils’ Drop-Out in Public Primary Schools in Rangwe Sub County, Homa-Bay County, Kenya

The purpose of the study was to explore the influence of motorcycle (bodaboda) business on pupils’ dropout rates in primary education in Rangwe Sub County in Homa Bay County. The study examined the influence of gender related issues, mode of transport, socio-economic factors and school location on pupils’ dropout rates in primary education. The study was based on Tinto’s Model of student retention. The research adopted a descriptive survey design with a target population comprising of 120 public primary schools, 120 head teachers, 428 teachers’ and 8277 class six, seven and eight pupils’ as well as 600 boda boda operators. Stratified random sampling was used to arrive at schools to participate in the study by dividing the target population of schools into six strata on the basis of the six zones in l Rangwe Sub County. Census sampling approach was used to sample head teachers’ in the sampled schools, while random sampling was used to sample teachers’ and pupil’s from the selected schools. Therefore, the total sample of the study comprised of 12 head teachers, 43 teachers’ 828 pupils’ and 60 boda boda operators. The researcher used questionnaires to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The study established that gender related issues and use of motorcycle transport had a significant effect on pupils’ dropout rates in primary schools. Further, the study established that most parents were unable to raise adequate funds to pay school levies for their children. It was also established that the distance from home to school, mode of transport, lack of money and insecurity had a bearing on students’ dropout in primary schools. The study recommends among others that the school administration and other stakeholders should come up with programs and forums to enlighten parents on the importance of pupils’ education. A study should be carried out to find out the possible policies that can be put in place to improve the completion rates of pupils in primary schools in Kenya.