Relationship between Teachers’ support and care and students’ subject choice in Public secondary schools in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Abstract Teachers’ support is defined as the amalgamation of teacher’s care, fairness, empathy, helping, challenging and respect towards students. Teacher’s support and care is the most effective aspect of a teacher’s professionalism because students identify with teachers who care and support them. Supportive and caring teachers enhance creation of positive school climate. A positive school climate fosters students’ learning that makes them to later become productive in the society, due to acquired norms, values and expectations that enable them make the right choices. Subject choice is crucial in the life of a learner because the choice they make determine the career path they shall pursue. The essence of this study was to determine whether there is significant relationship between teachers’ support and care and students’ subject choice in Public secondary schools in Nairobi County, Kenya. Nairobi County has 79 public secondary schools, 316 H.O.Ds and 10,920 Form Three students. Out of this target population, 30 public secondary schools were sampled randomly. All the principals of the 30 sampled schools, 120 Academic H.O.Ds and 390 Form Three students were included in the study. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. Purposive sampling was done to select subject of study from H.O.Ds and Form Three students. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaires and observation check list. Data collected was coded and computed using version 18 of SPSS. Data analysis was done using Pearson’s Chi square test. The study revealed that there was significant relationship between Teachers’ support and care and student’s subject choice at a p-value of.001.

Keywords: Teachers’ support and care, Public secondary schools, Student’s subject choice, School climate