Abstract:
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the
factors influencing students’ choice of computer studies in public
and private secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County. The
objective of the study was to establish the parental influence on
students’ choice of computer studies in public and private
secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County. Related literature
was reviewed that provided an overview of computer studies in
secondary schools and findings from previous researches on
factors which determine students’ choice of computer studies in
public and private secondary schools in regard to the research
objective. The study used mixed method research design. The
study embraced purposive sampling and simple random sampling
techniques to select the sample size of the computer studies
students and parents. Data was collected through questionnaires
and focus group discussion schedule. Data analysis was done by
use of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The audio
recorded responses from the focus group discussion were
organized into themes and integrated with rest of the data for
purposes of triangulation. Data was presented in percentages,
frequency distribution tables and verbatim quotations. The study
established that parental factors influenced students’ choice of
computer studies in both public and private secondary schools
though with some variations; and that most of the students in both
public and private secondary schools were guided by their parents
on their choice of computer studies. The study recommended that
parents need to make follow up in order to establish whether their
children choose subjects in line with the courses they have been
aspiring to pursue. This was due to the finding that in private
secondary schools the directors determine the school curriculum.
In view of this paper, computer studies should be made
compulsory for all the students in the Kenyan education system.
