The Nexus between School Environment and Absenteeism in Public Primary Schools in Bangal Sub- County, Tana River County, Kenya

Abstract

Despite various interventions by the Ministry of Education, learner absenteeism remains a persistent challenge in public primary schools within Bangal Sub-county, negatively impacting academic performance and educational outcomes. This study sought to identify the nexus between school environment and absenteeism in public primary schools in Bangal sub- county, Tana River County, Kenya. This study was guided by the Social Ecological Model and adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative methods through a descriptive survey research design. The study was conducted in Bangal Sub-county, targeting 30 public primary schools, 232 teachers and 30 head teachers. A sample size of 30% of the schools was used. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data from teachers, while structured interviews was used to collect qualitative data from heads of institutions. Quantitative data from the questionnaires was analyzed using the Pearson correlation test, while qualitative data was analyzed narratively in verbatim. The school environment exhibited a very strong relationship with absenteeism (r = - 0.870, p < 0.05), with inadequate facilities, overcrowding, and poor sanitation identified as major deterrents. The study recommends implementing comprehensive school feeding programs, improving infrastructure and sanitation facilities.