INFLUENCE OF SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS ON GIRLS’ EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER ASPRIRATIONS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SAMBURU COUNTY, KENYA

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 12, 920 - 941, 29.10.2019

Joseph Mungaı

Abstract

Under-representation of women in
the education, formal employment and administrative positions is very
conspicuous. The gender disparities are prominently exhibited among communities
adhering to traditional cultural values, beliefs, customs, practices and harbouring
negative attitudes and perceptions among women and girls. These cultural
attributes are likely to negatively influence the girls’ career aspirations.
This study therefore sought to determine the influence of social and cultural
attributes on girls’ educational and career aspirations in public secondary
schools in Samburu County which is predominantly occupied by nomadic
communities. Equal opportunities theory was adopted. A descriptive survey was
employed. Data was collected from a sample of 132 girls using a questionnaire.
Descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies and percentages were used to
analyze and present the data. The following were the findings and conclusions:
girls exhibited high educational and career aspirations; direct relationships existed
between girls’ higher educational and career aspirations and high
socio-economic status, liberated attitudinal ideology, knowledge of role
models, urban and rural-urban residence. Sex-role ideology, socio-economic
status, role models, and residential location influenced the girls educational
and career aspirations more than their religious affiliation. The following
recommendations were made: researchers
and educationists should investigate the subterranean factors that suppress
girls’ and career aspirations and recommend remedial measures to reduce or
eradicate the negative influence of these factors; affirmative policies should
be formulated aimed at creating a level playing ground for the disadvantaged
groups of the society especially the girl child; and girls should emancipate
themselves from the andro-centrically biased socio-cultural web and challenge
themselves by pursuing high status professional careers since given favorable
educational and training opportunities and conditions, they can achieve equally
better as their male counterparts.

Keywords

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