Gender and agriculture subject choice among secondary students in Kakamega and Bungoma counties, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to establish the role played by gender in selection of agriculture subject by students in Kakamega and Bungoma counties. Descriptive research design was adopted as guided by both occupation theory and conceptual framework. The population of study consisted of 4549 students out of which a sample size of 364 students was purposively sampled. Questionnaires and document contents analysis were used to gather data.  Descriptive statistics using frequency, percentages, means and standard deviation were employed to present the findings. The findings revealed that gender plays a significant role in the selection of agriculture subjects among secondary schools. Selection trends show that more students from mixed boys’ and girls’ schools selected agriculture subject, followed by girls’ boarding and lastly boys’ boarding, hence recording increasing selection in all the categories of gender of schools. Mean agriculture selection was higher in boys’ schools, followed by girls’ schools and lastly mixed schools.  Factors influencing selection in agriculture subject include type of school such as mixed or one gender school, category of school such as day or boarding school. Day schools exhibit higher selection as compared to both boarding and day, and mixed day and boarding. It was also noted that, gender plays a role such that girls are more motivated in terms of selection in agriculture career than boys; hence, gender is important in the progression to agriculture career. The study recommends the need for adaption strategies to enhance progression in agriculture career. The Ministry of education policies should be well aligned to motivate students of both girls and boys to select agriculture subject. Factors such as type of school which includes public (national, extra county, county sub county) and private, gender of school such as boys’, girls, mixed boys’ and girls’, mixed day and boarding, should be streamlined towards increased agriculture career selection through educational guidelines and policies concerning selection of agriculture subjects.