Smooth Transition of Pupils From Lower Grades To Middle Grades In Public Primary Schools In Sotik Sub- County, Bomet County, Kenya

Abstract

Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) is the new education system in Kenya which requires a learner to transit from lower grade to middle grade. This transition poses new experiences as well as challenges, some of which are building up from previous grades. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence smooth transition of pupils from lower grades to middle grades in public primary schools in Sotik Sub- County, Bomet County, Kenya. The study specifically sought to: determine the influence of teaching and learning resources on smooth transition from lower grade to middle grade in public primary schools in Sotik Sub-County; examine the influence of teacher competencies on smooth transition from lower grade to middle grade in public primary schools in Sotik Sub-County and establish the influence of school physical resources on learners transition from lower grade to middle grade in public primary schools in Sotik Sub-County. The study was anchored on two theories; motivation theory of learning and education production function theory. The study adopted mixed research design. The target population of the study was 5300 grade five pupils while informants were 165 head teachers and 1178 ECDE teachers to give a total target population of 6643. The study randomly selected 377 respondents using Nuausima’s (2000) formula for calculating the sample sizes where 9 head teachers were purposely selected for the study while 67 teachers and 301 grade five pupils were randomly chosen. Prior to data collection, a pilot study was undertaken in Konoin Sub-County where 12 public primary schools which is 10% of the sample schools were randomly selected. The data was collected using both questionnaires and interview schedule as well as observation checklist. The data was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative approach. Inferential statistics using correlation and regression analysis was generated using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) to test the research hypotheses. The findings revealed that teaching and learning resources had a positive Pearson correlation coefficient with smooth transition (r=0.488, p<0.05), teacher competencies had a positive correlation with smooth transition (r = 0.518, p<0.05), school physical resources had a positive correlation with smooth transition (r = 0.374, p<0.05). The R2 showed that 34.9% of variation in smooth transition is related with teaching and learning resources, teachers competencies and school physical resources (R Square = 0.349). However, other factors not in the study attributed to 65.1% variation of smooth transition. The study concludes that teaching and learning resources influence smooth transition and that lack of training for teachers affect teacher’s basic preparedness to teaching CBC in primary. The study also concludes that the absence of school physical resources hinders effective teaching of CBC in public primary schools leading to poor acquisition of relevant skills by learners which in turns affects their transition from one grade to another. The study recommends that the government should endeavor to facilitate public primary schools with adequate teaching and learning resources and that TSC should recruit and post qualified teachers who can enable learners acquired relevant CBC skills while the in-post teachers should be encouraged to go for retooling so that they remain relevant in the implementation of CBC.