A Comparative Study On Adolescent Boys And Girls On Transition And Adjustment To Secondary Schools, A Case Of Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

Governments all over the world are committed to the provision of education to their citizens for purposes of economic and social empowerment. Adolescence as a stage involve rapid biological, physical, mental and moral growth and development while transition from primary to secondary school is educational rite of passage referring to physical movement that pupils make from a lower to a higher level associated with a lot of adjustment difficulties. The study aimed at establishing whether the decrease in percentage representing (below 30%) girls may be related to influence of gender and adolescence on adjustment of form one students to secondary school in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory and explanatory survey research design were employed in the study. A total of 14, 043 form one students from 207 secondary schools were targeted population in the study. Tools of data collection included sets of questionnaire and a focus group hence quantitative and qualitative data. After using descriptive statistics to compute data, the correction and ANOVA findings (r = 0.756, P<0.05; F (1,398) = 51.245, P<0.05) indicated that gender and adolescence have significant influence on adjustment of form one students to secondary school. The study concluded that form one students with a high self-esteem, self-concept as well as socio-emotional well being are less affected by adjustment to secondary school. The study recommended effectiveness and efficiency of guidance and counseling department in secondary schools to helped students to adjust well and remain in their new schools