Abstract:
The varying aspect of income differences between households and different aspects such as parental education, occupation, and family size has in many developing regions and especially to Kenya affected children's chances of being admitted to and retained in pre-primary school. This study assessed how the socio-economic status of parents can influence their children to be enrolled in pre-primary schools within Narok South Sub-County of Narok County. The findings of the study were intended to supplement key stakeholders, that is, the Ministry of Education, teachers, parents, policymakers, and the general public, so as to make their decisions based on empirical data and strengthen early childhood education programs. The study had four objectives to accomplish; it examines how income levels, education attainment, and the occupation of parents as well as the size of family are likely to translate into a pre-primary pupil case. Income of parents, education level, occupation, family size-independent variables, while pupil enrollment is dependent. The study was based on the theory of parental involvement. Descriptive survey design went on with the study. The population targeted was made of 1,295, and a sample drawn from it was made of 306 respondents being 62 head teachers, 122 pre-primary teachers, and 122 parents selected through simple random sampling. A questionnaire and interview schedule were the tools of collecting data. Some piloting was done in two pre-primary schools within the sub-county to test the reliability and validity of the instruments. The data were analyzed quantitatively by descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. It was noted that enrollment in pre-primary schools was significantly dependent on parental income (mean score = 2.66) and level of education of parents (mean score = 2.50), family size (mean score = 2.23) being least so, probably because teachers do not view it as important for enrollment. Children from high-income households were found more likely to enroll in and remain in school than counterparts of poorer households. This brings about specific socio-economic dependence around which the patterns of enrollment into the pre-primary sector are built since income and education seem to be the most prominent indicators in that regard. This results to significantly entice educators, policymakers, and community stakeholders towards developing specific interventions or outreach programs to address socioeconomic disparity while increasing early childhood education enrollment.
