Teacher Capacity and Student Transition to Junior School in Lagdera Sub-County, Garissa County, Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated the determinants of student transition from primary school to junior school in Lagdera Sub-County, Garissa County, Kenya. Transitioning is a critical stage, particularly challenging in marginalized areas like Lagdera due to barriers such as inadequate teacher capacity, limited support programs, poor physical facilities, and socio-economic family factors. The primary objective of this particular report was to establish the relationship between teacher capacity and pupil transition from primary to junior schools in Lagdera Sub-County. Guided by Schlossberg's Transition Theory and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the study employed a correlational research approach in public primary schools in Lagdera Sub-County. Data was collected using structured questionnaires from a sample of 133 respondents, achieving an 88.1% response rate. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics and linear regression. The findings revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between teacher capacity and student transition (R=..467, R²=.2184, F (1, 131) =36.322, p < .001). Teacher capacity demonstrated the strongest individual relationship among the studied factors, explaining 21.84% of the variance in student transition. The study concludes that enhancing teacher capacity is essential for supporting student transition, underscoring the critical need for targeted professional development programs to improve educational outcomes in challenging contexts.