IMPACT OF DRUG ABUSE ON STUDENTS’ RETENTION IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAKAMEGA MUNICIPALITY

Urbanization plays a key social function of education through provision of educational institutions and services. The understanding of urban functions is the basis for the optimization of urban spatial structure and for the sustainable development of urban space. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of drug abuse on students’ retention in primary and secondary schools in Kakamega Municipality. This study was justified by the fact that Kakamega Municipality growth has largely been based on expansion of educational institutions of higher studies, and the inception of the devolved structures in the counties. The target population for the study was 99,987 this population was comprising of municipality residents, primary school pupils, secondary school students, Education officers, principals, urban administrator and parents from low, middle and high residential parts of the municipality. The sample size for the study was 172 and it was calculated using the formula proposed by Fisher, Laing and Stoeckel (1998). Data collection instruments included; questionnaires, interview guides and focus group discussion. A pilot study was carried out in three residential areas in Bungoma municipality in order to test the validity of the instruments. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and statistics package for social sciences (SPSS) version (20). The study established that drug abuse leads to children dropping out of school as confirmed by 46% response which was evident from police cases of drop out due to alcohol and drug abuse by students. This is confirmed by low class respondents of whom majority earn between 10,000 -30,000 (42%) and below 10,000 (26%) and as result there is low retention in education by their children at (6%). To address this state, the study recommends that drug abuse in the municipality be controlled, counseling services should be availed by institutions and operationalized by professionals in schools.