Dr. Mercy Wambui Mwaura, PhD

DOI : https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2025.v4i7n04

Google Scholar Download Pdf
ABSTRACT

International and donors play an important role in shaping key policy decisions regarding provision of basic education in Kenya. However, in many public secondary schools in Kiambu County, while primary school enrollment rates in Kiambu County have risen to 92%, dropout rates remain alarmingly high at 18%. This trend is replicated in secondary schools where enrollment is often high but completion rates are often very low. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the influence of international organizations and donors on policy decisions in basic education in public secondary schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study was anchored on the public choice theory. The study adopted mixed methodology and concurrent triangulation research design. Target population comprised 227 principals, 3479 teachers, 103 coordinators of international donor agencies and 24 Sub-county Directors of Education (TSC & MoE) totaling 3833 respondents from which 372 respondents was sampled using Yamane’s Formula. Stratified sampling was adopted to create 12 strata based on the number of sub-counties in Kiambu County. From each sub-county, two (2) and five (5) coordinators of international donor agencies were selected using purposive sampling. All the Sub-county Directors of Education (TSC & MoE) were purposively considered for the study. However, from each of the sampled secondary schools, 11 teachers were selected using simple random sampling to avoid bias. This sampling procedure realized a sample of 24 principals, 264 teachers, 60 coordinators of international donor agencies and 24 Sub-county Directors of Education (TSC & MoE). Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from teachers whereas interview guides were used to collect qualitative data from principals and coordinators of international donor agencies. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically along the objectives and presented in narrative forms. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages and inferentially using linear regression analysis with the help of Statistical Packages for Social Sciences and presented by using tables. The study found that the number of students enrolled in Form I in public secondary schools has been on the increase since 2017 to 2023 due to the 100.0% transition policy by the government. However, after four years upon enrollment, the number of students who compete their secondary education is low. This has interventions from international organizations and donors who play a key role in funding education programmes aimed at retaining students at school and ensuring that they access quality education. Thus, the study recommends that principals and policymakers should establish collaborative frameworks with international organizations to align their interventions with national education priorities. This can be achieved by creating joint committees that include representatives from schools, local education authorities, and international organizations to ensure that funding, programs, and initiatives directly address key needs such as infrastructure, teacher training, and curriculum development.

KEYWORDS:

Public secondary schools, international organizations and donors, policy decisions, basic education, Kiambu County

REFERENCES

1) Buchanan, J. M. & Tullock, G. (1962). The Calculus of Consent. Logical Foundations of Constitutional Democracy. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

2) Creswell, J. W. (2018). Research design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodology. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.

3) Global Partnership for Education (2021). Inclusive education initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa. Retrieved from https://www.globalpartnership.org

4) Global Partnership for Education (GPE). (2023). Teacher training and effectiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa: Progress report. Global Partnership for Education.

5) John, P., & Martin, R. (2022). Impact of UNICEF partnerships on indigenous education in Canada. Canadian Journal of Education Studies, 48(2), 123–138.

6) Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). (2020). Education and food security in Kenya: Insights from Mwangi, J., Wanjiku, P., & Otieno, G. (2019). Impact of donor-funded school feeding initiatives on students' retention in Kiambu County. International Journal of Education and Development, 22(3), 45-56.

7) Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). (2022). Annual education statistics report. Nairobi: Government Press.

8) Kenya's Ministry of Education. (2021). Annual education report: Progress in basic education policies. Government Press.

9) MasterCard Foundation (2021). Education and learning strategy. Retrieved from MasterCard.

10) Munene, R. (2020). Challenges in aligning donor priorities with local education needs: A case of Kenya. Journal of African Policy Studies, 15(2), 110-125.

11) Mwangi, M., & Omondi, A. (2021). International donor influence on Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum. East African Education Review, 29(4), 56–79.

12) National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). The role of external funding in enhancing literacy rates. U.S. Department of Education.

13) Ngigi, L., & Waweru, J. (2021). Financial inefficiencies hampering the impact of donor funding on education in Kiambu County. East African Education Review, 23(1), 45-60.

14) Nyamweya, P. (2021). Technological integration in Kenya’s curriculum: Insights from USAID interventions. African Education Review, 15(3), 34–50.

15) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2023). PISA 2023: Insights on educational equity and quality. OECD Publishing.

16) Otieno, L. (2021). Improving pedagogy through donor-backed workshops: A case of Kenya’s CBC implementation. Journal of Educational Leadership, 10(1), 45–67.

17) Smith, J., & Jackson, T. (2021). The role of international organizations in shaping global education policies. Journal of Global Education Studies, 58(3), 89–102.

18) Smith, J., & Johnson, K. (2022). Equity in education funding: The influence of international partnerships. Education Policy Review, 47(1), 112–130.

19) UNESCO (2020). Global education monitoring report. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.

20) UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining teacher training for quality education. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

21) UNICEF (2020). Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all. Retrieved from UNICEF.

22) UNICEF. (2022). Girls’ education and empowerment programs in Kenya. Retrieved from UNICEF.

23) UNICEF. (2023). Advocating for inclusive education: Annual report on UNICEF campaigns. UNICEF Publications.

24) World Bank. (2020). Kenya education sector support project: Lessons learned. Washington, DC: World Bank.

25) World Bank. (2021). Investing in education for a brighter future. Retrieved from UNICEF.

26) World Bank. (2023). Transforming education systems through the Samagra Shiksha program in India. World Bank Reports

27) World Food Programme (WFP). (2020). Ensuring food security through education: Annual report on school feeding programs. Retrieved from WFP website.

VOlUME 04 ISSUE 07 JULY 2025