Overcoming Domestic Labour among Secondary School Students in Kenya

Abstract

This study was set to establish the impact of domestic labour on students’ academic achievement in mixed day secondary schools in Kisii Central District, Kenya and formulate appropriate policy recommendations. A total of 119 boys and 100 girls were randomly selected from 14 mixed day secondary schools to participate in the study. Additionally, 14 parents and 14 teachers were purposively included. Interview schedules and questionnaires were used to gather relevant data. Holmes (1965) problem-solving approach, a scientific method of inquiry in comparative education, was used as a benchmark while formulating the relevant policy recommendations to mitigate against the involvement of students in domestic labour. The findings associated boys’ and girls’ engagement in domestic labour to weak academic achievement. In a bid to address the negative impact of domestic labour on students in mixed day secondary schools, the study provides the following policy recommendations: reducing the domestic workload, educating parents and the community on the need to attend and participate in civic affairs, offering tuition in the morning and evening, conducting guidance and counseling to the affected students, equipping mixed day secondary schools with the appropriate teaching and learning resources, providing lunch to students in schools and combining efforts to fight poverty.