Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Primary School Dropout Among Households in Kitui East Sub-County, Kenya

Despite national reforms like Free Primary Education and the push for universal transition to secondary school, school dropout remains widespread in Kitui East Sub-County. This study examines the socio-economic factors associated with school retention, focusing on parental financial status, education, and involvement. A mixed-methods design was adopted, drawing a sample of 377 households from a population of 17,497 through cluster, random, and purposive sampling. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed. The results show that 48.7% of households report being unable to afford schooling, which is associated with three times the odds of dropout (OR = 3.20, 95% CI: 1.54–6.62). Financial constraints further increase the risk of dropout (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.20–4.98). Higher parental education is protective, with diploma (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.14–0.84) and degree holders (OR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.09–0.66) less likely to report dropout. Literacy practices such as reading educational materials (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.19–0.87) and parental involvement through school visits (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.13–0.73) significantly reduce risk. A larger family size is associated with a higher likelihood of dropout (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.08–3.86). Thematic findings reinforce these quantitative results, linking irregular income, high schooling costs, and limited literacy practices to decisions to withdraw children from school. The study indicates that household income security, parental literacy, and active engagement in education are the key household-level factors associated with pupil retention in a rural Kenyan sub-county.